Shooting 42-year-old Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins Oct. 21, 2021 on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 64-year-old Actor/Director Alec Baldwin Baldwin denied Dec. 2, 2021 that he pulled the trigger in national interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos. Baldwin maintained that he the hammer accidentally discharged killing Hutchins. Recent report by FBI ballistic experts said the type of revolver used on the set could not have discharged without pulling the trigger, raising questions about Baldwin’s public denials that he pulled the trigger. FBI said the .45 caliber (.45 Long Colt] caliber F.lli Pietta single-action revolved—could not have fired without the trigger being pulled, according to the FBI report. New Mexico authorities have not charged Baldwin, believing his story that the gun went off accidentally without pulling the trigger.
Why the FBI report matters is because if contradicts Baldwin’s public remarks of how he killed Halyna Hutchins Oct. 21, 2021. “With the hammer in the quarter-and half-cock position, the gun could not have fired without the trigger being pulled,” said the FBI report. Baldwin got off the hook quickly telling Stephanopoulos that the gun discharged without pulling the trigger. Baldwin’s fans wanted to believe his incredulous story until the FBI finally put to rest his assertion that the cocking mechanism went off on its own without the trigger pulled. To the Santa Fe Sheriff, they couldn’t figure out what to do with the absence of ballistic evidence now confirming that the trigger had to be pulled by Baldwin to discharge the live round in the chamber. With the hammer fully cocked, as Baldwin insisted, the gun “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger,” said the FBI report.
Baldwin insisted to Stephanopoulos Dec. 2 that he did not pull the trigger. “The trigger wasn’t pulled,” Baldwin told George. “I didn’t pull the trigger,” Baldwin repeated, thinking that that gets him off the hook. With the hammer fully cocked, the gun “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional,” said the FBI report. Baldwin now has a big problem speaking anymore to the press because to the FBI ballistics report. Clearly, the FBI report shows that it was mechanically impossible to the gun to discharge killing Hutchins without Baldwin pulling the trigger. New Mexico authorities were trying to figure out a charging decision, involving involuntary manslaughter or second-degree murder to the Oct. 21, 2021 mishap. Even if authorities can’t prove intent, the FBI report tells them that Baldwin pulled the trigger.
With the new FBI report, New Mexico authorities have what they need to follow through with a charging decision. Whether Baldwin believes he did not pull the trigger, the FBI says the gun couldn’t have discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding Director Joel Souza. Baldwin spent much of his time after the incident blaming Hannah Gutierrez Reed who was responsible for weapons on the set. Baldwin said he assumed that the gun was “cold,” meaning it had no live round in the chamber. Baldwin claimed he was dumbfounded how Reed would allow a live round tin the chamber on the film’s set. Baldwin contended that it was Reed’s job to assure the safety of any guns used on the set. Even if Alex pulled the trigger, New Mexico authorities could continue to rule the incident as “accidental,” because Baldwin operated during the film’s shooting that all firearms used on the set were inspected as safe.
Santa Fe Sheriff’s office leading the investigation is in possession of the FBI ballistics report. Whether that changes anything isn’t known because Baldwin operated on the belief that Reed secured the gun’s safety. Reports of the gun used with live rounds for target practice before used by Baldwin haven’t been confirmed. Reed didn’t know how a live round wound up in the gun’s chamber. “Death was caused by a gunshot wound to the chest. Review of available law enforcement reports showed no compelling demonstration that the firearm was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on the set,” said the Sheriff’s report. “Based on all available information, including the absence of obvious intent to cause harm or death, the manner of death is best classified as an accident.” Whether the new FBI ballistic report changes anything with regard to the Sheriff’s charging decision is doubtful.
Halyna Hutchin’s life was ended Oct. 21, 2021 at the hands of Alec Baldwin, who a new FBI reports says the gun could not go off on its own without someone pulling the trigger. Whether or not Baldwin believes he didn’t pull the trigger, the story never made any sense of anyone watching the events unfold on the set of “Rust.” No one thinks, as the Santa Fe Sheriff Department says, that Baldwin intended to commit bodily harm on Hutchins. But the undeniable fact remains that Hutchins was killed on the set of Bonaza Creek Ranch Oct. 21, 2021. FBI’s report indicates that Baldwin had to have pulled the trigger on the Colt 45 that killed Hutchins and wounded Souza. Santa Fe Sheriff doesn’t seem too moved by the FBI’s report showing that a finger had to have pulled the trigger to discharge the firearm. New evidence or not, the Santa Fe Sheriff looks content chalking the incident up to an accident.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
