DA probing ‘Rust’ shooting knows who loaded gun
The district attorney probing the “Rust” film set shooting says she knows who loaded the gun Alec Baldwin used to accidentally shoot dead cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Santa Fe DA Mary Carmack-Altwies declined to name the person in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, as she weighs whether to bring criminal charges over the Oct. 21 fatal shooting.
Asked if she was aware who loaded the fatal live round, Carmack-Altwies said: “We do, yes.”
Authorities have been investigating how the live round ended up in the firearm, with Carmack-Altwies admitting: “We don’t have an answer to that yet.”
The DA confirmed additional live rounds were found on the set during the investigation but she refused to reveal how many, citing the ongoing probe.
“We still don’t know how they got on the set and how they got there, I think, will be one of the most important factors going into a charging decision,” Carmack-Altwies said.
“It’s probably more important to focus on what led up to the shooting because the moment of the shooting, we know that at least Mr. Baldwin had no idea that the gun was loaded, so it’s more how did that gun get loaded, what levels of failure happened and were those levels of failure criminal?”
Carmack-Altwies dismissed claims made last week by attorneys for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who alleged the shooting was the result of a “disgruntled” crew member “sabotaging” the set.
Attorney Jason Bowles had told the “Today” show that the gun was loaded from a box of ammo that should have been only dummy rounds.
But the DA said Wednesday she didn’t believe sabotage was to blame.
“I know that some defense attorneys have come up with conspiracy theories and have used the word ‘sabotage.’ We do not have any proof,” Carmack-Altwies said.
“Prosecutors have to deal in facts and in evidence.
“The defense attorneys, we don’t have the same information that they do. But until we have it in our hands, it doesn’t play into the decision-making process.”
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured when Baldwin fired the shot while filming in Santa Fe last month.
Around 500 rounds were taken as part of the investigation, including blanks, dummy rounds — and some suspected live rounds, officials have said.
