What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?

aVeteran actor from nearly 100 films and television shows, Alec Baldwin was no stranger to strict safety protocols surrounding the handling of firearms on set.

Preparing to shoot an action sequence for his low budget western film War in new Mexico Last October, Baldwin was handed a .45 Colt replica revolver.

According to affidavit from law enforcementThe 64-year-old actor was discussing a gunfight scene with crew members when he unsheathed the weapon and raised it in the direction of the camera, where director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halina Hutchins were standing

The gun went off, and a bullet struck Souza in the shoulder and Hutchins was fatally wounded in the chest.

The exact details of how the gun was fired are still bitter. Baldwin has said that he was assured that the gun was “cold”, meaning that there was no live ammunition in it, and that as soon as he picked it up, the gun went off without pulling the trigger.

However, a Recently released FBI forensic analysis The gun was found to be in good working order and Baldwin had to fire the weapon.

After the shooting, members of the crew, actors and family of Hutchins advocated.

All those involved have protested their innocence, blaming poor industry practice and in some cases each other, for Hutchins’ tragic death.

on Wednesday, Hutchins’ estate reaches settlement with Baldwin And the film’s production company is facing a wrongful death lawsuit.

As part of the agreement, filming War will resume in January, with her widower Matthew Hutchins named as an executive producer.

Last week, the Santa Fe district attorney named Baldwin as a “potential defendant” in an ongoing criminal investigation into the case.

Baldwin has also targeted “garbage press” to discredit him, And in an apparent reference to his criminal revelations, Baldwin said last week that his life “may never be the same”.

How did one of the preeminent acting talents of his generation find himself facing a possible manslaughter charge?

Walkout and security concerns on the sets of War

Rust began shooting on October 6 at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Bonanza City, New Mexico, an old mining town on the outskirts of Santa Fe that was abandoned in the early 1900s before being renovated as a film set Was.

The film had a modest budget of around $6m and was a “passion project” for Baldwin. wall street journal, It was likely released on a streaming service and may well have passed into obscurity if not for death at the outset.

Complaints about poor working conditions and safety on set plagued the production from the start of filming.

On the eve of filming, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) threatened a walkout over the low pay.

Among them was Hutchins, a veteran cinematographer and mother of one, who wrote in an instagram post On October 19: “Standing in #IAsolidarity with our @IATSE crew here on RUST in New Mexico.”

Baldwin, a producer Warsaid in a profanity posted on facebook On 19 October the crew members “Do what you got to do. You got to fight”.

“I will tell you something about these companies, film and TV executives… They don’t tell anything about you. They don’t care about anything.

In the comments below Baldwin’s video, crew member Len Luper said the producers were treating the crew like “dog s***”.

Luper claims that some were forced to sleep in the cars after being too exhausted to drive home.

Crew members also raised concerns about firearms safety protocols and the weapons being handled at the start.

Responsibility for the weapons fell to the production’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reid, who had been the subject of complaints for her work on a different film. The old way

Los Angeles Times There were reportedly three prop gun misfires on set in the days following Hutchins’ death.

In the early hours of 21 October, seven crew members quit in protest of the conditions.

an article published on the rap An anonymous set worker is quoted as saying that the crew took away the replica pistol that killed Hutchins to aim at beer cans to pass the time. According to insiders, the weapons were returned after the lunch break.

fatal shooting

Around 1.50 pm, on the 12th day of a 21-day shoot, the cast was rehearsing a gun fight scene inside a church at Bonanza Ranch.

as per affidavit issued by Santa Fe Detectives Gutierrez-Reid, the armourer, retrieved three weapons and ammunition reportedly used at the scene.

David Hall, an assistant director, grabbed one of three prop guns from a cart and shouted “cold gun” while handing it to Baldwin, indicating there were no live rounds in the gun, the search warrant claimed.

Halls was fired from the set of the film in 2019 freedom path One crew member was injured after a firearm went off unexpectedly.

Hall is a lawyer for disputed that he gave Baldwin the gunand said that it was not his responsibility to check the weapon for live rounds.

As Hutchins and Souza stood behind the camera, Baldwin began talking about how he planned to remove the weapon from his holster.

“So, I think I’m going to take it out, pull it, and go, ‘Bang,'” he said, according to a Los Angeles Times ForAt which point the gun allegedly went off.

A call to 911 was made at 1:46 p.m. local time, and emergency responders arrived within minutes.

Hutchins was taken by air ambulance to the University of New Mexico, where he was pronounced dead. She is survived by her husband, Matt Hutchins, and their nine-year-old son, Andros.

Souza was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Santa Fe and was released the next morning.

Harrowing images captured Baldwin speaking on a cellphone in the moments after the shooting. He was taken in for questioning by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department and released later that day.

Baldwin tweeted the next day that her heart was “broken for her husband, her son and everyone who knew and loved Halina”.

claim and counter claim

The sheriff’s office launched an investigation to determine how a live round had been placed in the gun, why the crew members failed to notice the round, and why the gun misfired.

Authorities said all three men who wielded the weapon — Hall, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reid — were cooperating with the investigation.

In November, court filings revealed that the scope of the investigation had broadened to determine whether Seth Kenny, a local prop shop owner, may have included live ammunition along with blanks and dummy rounds for the film set. .

In a statement Mr Kenny denied providing live ammo on set ABC News,

in an interview with ABC News In December, Baldwin denied firing a weapon, saying: “I would never point a gun at anybody and pull the trigger on them. Never.”

That month, Santa Fe officials Search warrant obtained for Baldwin’s iPhone Regarding enquiry.

However, an FBI forensic analysis of the weapon used to kill Hutchins concluded that the weapon was operating at the time and would not discharge until it was fully cocked and the trigger pulled. Was.

That report was released in August by Santa Fe investigators along with a determination made by New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator that the fatal shooting was an accident.

New Mexico’s Bureau of Occupational Health and Safety detailed a tale of safety failures in violation of standard industry protocol in a scathing report, including testimony that production managers confined themselves to addressing two misfires on set before the fatal shooting. or took no action.

It also fined the film’s production company nearly $137,000 for violating workplace safety protocols.

‘potential defendant’

On September 23, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweiss revealed in an emergency request for more funds that the investigation into the shooting had identified four potential defendants.

Alec Baldwin was the only person named by Ms. Carmack-Altweiss.

when contacted by Santa FeNew MexicanHe said his office was looking into a list of possible charges, which ranged from murder to violations of state gun laws.

In an Instagram post a few days later, Baldwin, who recently welcomed his seventh child with wife Hilaria, wrote: “The past year has broken my heart a thousand times. And things can never be the same in my life.

“A lot of changes are coming. But my family is what keeps me alive. They’re the reason I live. And Hilaria Baldwin too.”

Luke Nicks, Baldwin’s attorney, told Independent A statement said “false inferences” had been drawn from Ms Carmack-Altwiss’ request for more funding.

“The DA has made clear that it has not received the sheriff’s report or made a decision about who may be charged in this matter,” Mr Nicks said in a statement.

“The DA’s office should be given space to review this matter without unfounded speculation and sarcasm.”

Hutchins Estate on Wednesday 5 October reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and the film’s production company.

Matthew Hutchins said in a statement, “I am not interested in blaming or making accusations.”

“We all believe that Halina’s death was a terrible accident.”

Joel Souza, who was injured in the shooting, released a statement saying he was open to returning as director to honor Hutchins’ legacy and “make her proud”.

A whirlwind of civil litigation has yet to be settled.

Several crew members, including the script supervisor and head doctor, have sued for compensation for the trauma they suffered.

Gutierrez-Reid is suing prop supplier Seth Kenny, It is alleged that he mixed live bullets in the dummy round.

and Baldwin’s attorneys have filed arbitration against rusty The production company claiming his contract should have indemnified him from any claims.

On 18 January, a spokesperson for Ms Carmack-Altweiss announced that they would announce whether any charges would be laid in a statement issued on Thursday 19 January.

Spokeswoman Heather Brewer said, “Regardless of the district attorney’s decision, the announcement will be a solemn occasion, in keeping with the office’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the judicial process and honoring the victim’s family.”

implications for the film industry

Hutchins’ death has led to calls for a complete overhaul of gun safety protocols on film sets.

tragic shooting comparison Brandon Lee’s deathSon of legendary action film star Bruce Lee, who was killed by a prop gun on the set of a shoot Crow In 1993.

Stars Including Dwayne Johnson Pledged to stop using real firearms on the set.

Although an article by hollywood reporter June suggested that little had changed.

Prominent gunfighters spoken by the entertainment site said calls for reform had stalled, as outrage faded into the distance.

While visual effects professionals told hollywood reporter As weapons could be replaced with CGI effects, this was not a viable option, especially for low-budget films.