A filing from a district attorney indicated that actor Alec Baldwin may face criminal charges over the fatal on-set shooting that took the life of a cinematographer and injured the movie’s director in October 2021.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed an emergency request for additional funding in order to continue the investigation into the accidental shooting. The filing indicated that charges will be filed against Baldwin and several others involved in the incident. “During the filming of [Rust], Alec Baldwin shot and killed Halyna Hutchins and injured Joel Souza while rehearsing a scene. Many individuals had handled the gun that ultimately killed Hutchins and injured Souza,” Carmack-Altwies wrote.
Santa Fe prosecutors have determined that some defendants from the movie need to be prosecuted “immediately,” she added.
“I am ready to start the decision of what individuals will be criminally charged in this case,” she said.
Baldwin was maintained his innocence and said that the gun went off accidentally. He also said in an emotional interview that he did not pull the trigger of the gun, which should have been checked for safety according to industry standards.
“The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at someone and pull the trigger on them, never,” said Baldwin in the interview from December.
Baldwin’s attorney released a statement about the filing from the district attorney.
“The DA has made clear that she has not received the sheriff’s report or made any decisions about who, if anyone, might be charged in this case,” said Luke Nikas.
Carmack-Altwies argued in the filing that if additional funding was not provided that it could negatively affect law enforcement in other cases in the community. She requested $635,500 from New Mexico’s Board of Finance and was approved for about half of that sum, $317,000.
Baldwin was playing the lead role in the “Rust” movie when the fatal incident occurred. He was a writer and co-producer for the film, which may mean that he could face charges based on whether industry standards were implemented properly.
Here’s more about the newest development: