Baldwin affair: the actor does not consider himself “responsible” for his fatal shot

Published on : 12/03/2021 – 07:36

“I could kill myself if I thought I was responsible.” These are the words of Alec Baldwin, very moved, during his first formal interview since the drama of October 21, broadcast Thursday, December 2 by the American channel ABC.

The American actor has declared that he does not feel guilty or even “responsible” for the death of a filmmaker on the set of “Rust”. He claimed that he did not fire the fatal gun and that it was not his responsibility to verify that the weapon he was handling was harmless.

During the interview, Alec Baldwin began to cry, several times, when he mentioned the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of this western in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The actor maintains that he never pulled the trigger on the revolver he was working with a scene and says he has “no idea” of how live ammunition may have gotten on the film set and “made it into the scene. revolver”.

“I was told that I was given an empty revolver”

He explained that Halyna Hutchins was giving him instructions on how to hold his gun during this rehearsal. “I hold the weapon where she tells me to hold it (…). I start cocking the hammer. I will not pull the trigger. I release the hammer and the shot goes,” says Alec. Baldwin.

The actor, who is also one of the producers of the low-budget western, points out that the gun he was given was supposed to be completely harmless: “I was told I was given an empty gun” .

Responding to film professionals reproaching him for not having himself verified the harmlessness of the weapon, he explained that he trusted the professionals who surrounded him and that it was not his responsibility to proceed himself. even to such checks.

Baldwin targeted by two complaints as a producer

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the gunsmith who was responsible for the guns on the set of “Rust,” admitted in a statement to investigators that she had been negligent in checking the gun just before the tragedy.

The police investigation is continuing and, if no arrests have taken place, criminal prosecution is not excluded in the event that responsibilities are established, the Santa Fe prosecutor’s office stressed.

Alec Baldwin said he worked with investigators and had “nothing to hide” but said he was “highly unlikely to be charged with criminal charges”. He is however targeted, as producer of “Rust”, by two civil complaints of technicians working on the film and expects the husband of Halyna Hutchins to do the same.

With AFP