Santa Fe DA Unsure if Charges Will Be Filed in Alec Baldwin Film Shooting

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Sep 18, 2021
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The Santa Fe First Judicial District Attorney, Mary Carmack-Altwies, has said that she is unsure whether or not charges will be filed against actor Alec Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The 42-year-old was killed on October 21 by a projectile fired from a prop gun by Baldwin on the set of indie western, Rust. In addition to killing Hutchins, the incident also injured the film’s director, Joel Souza.

Production on the film has been indefinitely suspended while authorities look into the tragic event. Baldwin had voluntarily gone to the Santa Fe county office to speak with investigators after Hutchins was airlifted from the film’s set and later pronounced dead. At present, it’s unknown whether it was a blank or live round in the prop gun, and Baldwin has reportedly questioned this in the aftermath of Hutchins’ death. Though media outlets have yet to extensively speak with Baldwin, the 68-year-old recently made a statement via his official Twitter account in which he described himself as “heartbroken” over the incident and that he has been in touch with Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, with whom she has a young son.

While initial reports stated that the Santa Fe sheriff’s office confirmed that no charges had been filed against Baldwin, Carmack-Altwies has maintained that it presently remains unknown whether or not any charges will be filed. Speaking to Deadline, the District Attorney explained that police are still trying to determine whether or not a prop gun is a deadly weapon. Carmack-Altwies further clarified that the case is still in its preliminary states of investigation and that their thoughts “are with all affected by this tragedy.” Read Carmack-Altwies' statement below:


“This case is still in its preliminary states of investigation. We are assisting the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and have offered our full support to them,” she added. “At this time, we do not know if charges will be filed. We will look into all facts and evidence of the case with great discretion and have further information at a later time. Our thoughts are with all affected by this tragedy.”

A similar incident involving a real gun took the life of Bruce Lee’s son Brandon in 1993 while filming The Crow. That tragedy was later confirmed to be the result of a dummy round having lodged in the barrel of the revolver, which was subsequently launched when a blank round was fired during filming. Lee was struck in the abdomen, rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. At the time – and to some extent today still – many Lee fans insisted that the 28-year-old’s death was part of the same family curse that also killed his father in 1973. For Hutchins’ family, however, the biggest question that must be answered during what is undoubtedly a horrific time is how such a thing could ever be permitted to happen.

Time will tell just how this incident plays out with regard to Alec Baldwin’s involvement. Clearly no one believes that Baldwin was deliberately trying to kill Hutchins, but that does not safeguard him from potential charges related to the incident. Whether or not Baldwin does face charges, hopefully this case will lead to far stricter protocols in the way that weapons are managed and used on film sets. Nearly 30 years separates the deaths of Lee and Hutchins, but even two deaths during that time span is far too many.