An insider who has knowledge of the set revealed that the gun Alec Baldwin, Rust actor, accidentally used to kill Halyna Hutchins as a cinematographer was actually used by crew members to shoot at beer cans hours before the incident.
The individual, who spoke under the condition of anonymity to The Wrap, divulged to the outlet that several crew members on the film’s Santa Fe set had taken several prop guns out the morning of the incident to go ‘plinking’ – a hobby in which people shoot at beer cans with live ammunition to pass the time.
According to an insider the round of unannounced target practice took place last Thursday, hours before Baldwin discharged one more weapon while filming a scene. Baldwin had inadvertently shot director Joel Souza, Hutchins, and the scene was being filmed.
After being told by the assistant director that the gun was not loaded, Alec Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed a Santa Fe cinematographer, Alec Baldwin.
Halyna Hutchins (42), a Ukranian filmmaker, journalist, and cinematographer, died from injuries sustained during the accident shooting
Hutchins, 42 years old, was struck in the shoulder but was not seriously injured. She succumbed to her injuries later that same day.
Prior to the incident, first assistant director David Halls told crew members that the revolver being handled by Baldwin, the film’s lead actor and producer, was a ‘cold gun,’ a term used by filmmakers to indicate that a prop gun is safe to handle and not loaded with live ammunition.
The weapon was one of three prop guns that the film’s rookie armorer, Hanna Gutierrez Reed, 24, had set up outside the set location on a gray cart, in the desert near the city of Santa Fe.
According to a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office search warrant, Gutierrez Reed was the last person who handled the gun. The gun was left on the cart with the other revolvers in the early hours October 21st.
According to an insider, this is where it becomes clear that crew members stole the weapons without the director and first directors’ knowledge and forgot how to unload the firearm in question.
DailyMail.com did not receive a response from Rust Productions regarding the matter immediately. However, Rust Movie Productions had previously stated that safety for cast and crew was the top priority for Rust Productions as well as all those associated with the company.
According to a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office search warrant, Hanna Gutierrez Reed, an armorer, was the last person to have the gun. She left it with the other revolvers on the cart in the early hours October 21st.
Gutierrez Reed (24-year-old rookie armorer) was the last person to touch the firearm before crew members took it for a round unannounced target practice.
“Though we weren’t made aware of any complaints regarding weapon or prop safety on-set, we will be conducting a review of our internal procedures while production is stopped.
“We will continue to cooperate in Santa Fe authorities’ investigation and offer mental healthcare services to the cast during this tragic time.”
However, an actor on the film’s set directly contradicted the company’s statement, revealing to TMZ Tuesday that filming often felt ‘life-threatening’ – a sentiment that was then echoed by other members of the production.
The actor, Ian A. Hudson, told to the outlet that he felt particularly terrified filming a scene where his character was gunned down by a crowd of other actors using nearly a dozen guns – all of which were real.
Prior to the incident David Halls, first assistant director, informed crew members that Baldwin (not shown), the film’s lead actor/producer, was using a revolver.
‘I felt the blanks hitting me face and body,’ the actor said. The wind from the shotgun was emitted, and I could feel it. It was strong … It was life-threatening. It felt surreal.
Hudson noted that some actors doubled and triple-checked their weapons, regardless of whether the staff or armorer gave them the OK.
Hudson also said that production was done on a rushed schedule – a sentiment echoed in both the newly released search warrant as well as the insider’s revelations to The Wrap.
He also told how crew and cameras were protected by plastic shields, but cast members were left with no barrier.
The warrant confirmed that six members of the film’s camera crew, members of the protesting IATSE, had walked off the set the day of the incident – citing qualms about housing, payment and working conditions – forcing producers to scramble to find replacements.
The incident took place at Bonanza Creek Ranch just outside Santa Fe.
Alec Baldwin is seen sobbing after killing cinematographer Halyna Houtchins on the set for his upcoming movie Rust, Santa Fe, New Mexico on Thursday
According to The Wrap’s insiders, instead of cutting production down when they suddenly became shorthanded, producers decided to hire replacements outside the union to continue shooting.
According to the warrant, Souza stated that this incident caused the film’s operations to be rescheduled for Thursday.
Experts have confirmed that prop guns are checked before entering an active set, even though the crew was in disarray.
Gutierrez Reed and Halls could be facing a variety of legal, or even criminal, consequences.
According to the warrant Souza stated that the cast and crew had prepared the scene before lunch, and then took their meals from the shooting location at 12:30.
The director told investigators then that he wasn’t certain if the gun was checked again after everyone had returned from lunch.
He did, however, state that protocol dictates that props are supposed to be checked by the armorer, Gutierrez Reed, and then the assistant director, Halls, before finally handing them over to the actor.
Santa Fe sheriffs were also informed by him that he couldn’t recall if live ammunition was checked on set. However, he stated that live ammunition shouldn’t have been near the scene that day or any other.
The incident remains under investigation.
There have been no criminal cases.