Unsurprisingly, an FBI report stated the gun involved in the fatal shooting of actress Halyna Hutchins could not fire unless the trigger was pulled, according to an ABC News report.
Hutchins was killed last year during filming of a scene for the movie “Rust” with a bullet from a gun handled by Alec Baldwin.
Baldwin told investigators at the time he believed the gun he handled was a “cold gun,” without live ammunition.
“The shooting occurred approximately six hours after union workers were replaced with non-union workers following complaints of long working hours and prop safety concerns,” according to a report filed with the Justice Department. “Hutchins was among those advocating for better working conditions for the crew, media
reported.”
Baldwin fatally shot Hutchins and wounded the film’s director Joel Souza while filming on location in New Mexico.
The FBI report said the agency conducted accidental discharge testing using the pistol Baldwin handled in the shooting. Agency technicians determined the .45 caliber Colt single-action revolver could not have fired without the trigger being pulled, according to the ABC News report.
In a December interview conducted by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin denied pulling the gun’s trigger.
“The trigger wasn’t pulled,” he declared. “I didn’t pull the trigger.”
The FBI’s forensic report is part of the criminal investigation into the on-set shooting that killed Hutchins. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, the lead agency for the homicide investigation, received the report earlier this month, the sheriff’s office said Thursday.
New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator has reviewed the document, according to the ABC News report, which added the state agency considers Hutchins’ death an accident.
“Death was caused by a gunshot wound of the chest. Review of available law enforcement reports showed no compelling demonstration that the firearm was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on set,” the report stated. “Based on all available information, including the absence of obvious intent to cause harm or death, the manner of death is best classified as accident.”
The District Attorney for the jurisdiction has not decided on whether the office will press charges while the investigation continues, according to the ABC report.
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