Cameraman Says Alec Baldwin Was Careful & 'Made Sure It Was Safe' When Discharging Firearm Before Fatal 'Rust' Shooting, Search Warrant Reveals
A search warrant has been issued following the fatal shooting that took place on the set of Rust.
As previously reported by OK!, Alec Baldwin discharged a firearm on set on Thursday, October 21, wounding the director and killing the director of photography.
According to a search warrant obtained by Front Page Detectives, director Joel Souza, who was reportedly shot in the shoulder during the incident, told authorities that another camera crew was hired on the day he and Halyna Hutchins were shot on the set of Rust.
According to the warrant, the assistant director took a gun from the armorer and gave it to Baldwin, yelling "Cold Gun" which means the prop gun did not contain any live rounds.
Souza told authorities that the crew was getting along that day and no altercations took place that he was aware of.
"Joel stated that because of his job, he was more concentrated on the monitors of the cameras and screens. He did state that no film was being recorded because the crew was working on getting the scene ready for the movie and how they were going to set up the one camera that was available to him," the warrant read.
The director said that the rehearsal entailed the 63-year-old cross drawing his weapon and pointing the revolver towards the camera lens. Souza believed the gun was safe. He told authorities that he remembered hearing the phrase "Cold Gun" being used when preparing for the scene.
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According to Souza, Baldwin was sitting on a pew and practicing a cross draw. Souza was looking over Hutchin's shoulder when he heard "what sounded like a whip and then a loud pop."
"Joel vaguely remembers Halyna complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection. Joel also said Halyna began to stumble backward and she was assisted to the ground. Joel explained that he was bleeding from his shoulder and he could see blood on Halyna," the warrant read.
Cameraman Reid Russel also told authorities that there was no video or audio being recorded at the time of the incident because they were preparing a scene.
According to Russel, Baldwin was "trying to explain how he was going to draw out the firearm and where his arm would be at when the firearm was pulled from the holster." The cameraman said he was not sure why the firearm was discharged but he remembered hearing a loud bang.
"Reid said after the firearm was discharged, he remembered Joel having blood on his person, and Halyna speaking and saying she couldn't feel her legs. Reid stated once Halyna was on the ground, medics began to treat her injury," the documents stated.
Russel told authorities that Baldwin had been very careful with the gun. According to Russel, the actor had "made sure it was safe and that a child wasn't near him when they were discharging a firearm during that scene."
Several items are being seized such as firearms, cameras and clothing. Baldwin's Old Western style costume was turned into the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and appeared to have blood stains on them. According to the warrant, the Boss Baby star changed into "street clothes" before he left the scene.
