Alec Baldwin
Weapons expert doubts his statement
© imago/ZUMA Press
Apparently there was nothing wrong with the gun that led to the death of a camerawoman at the hands of Alec Baldwin. This is what a weapons expert now said.
Did he pull the trigger after all? The testimony of an independent weapons expert casts doubt on Alec Baldwin’s, 65, account of the events of October 21, 2021 on the set of the western film “Rust.” The actor had stated that his gun went off on its own during the fatal shooting of camerawoman Halyna Hutchins (1979-2021) without him pulling the trigger.
In the current trial against “Rust” gun master Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, firearms expert Lucien Haag demonstrated, according to media reports, the functionality of a Colt single-action revolver like the one Baldwin was holding in his hand in the courtroom in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also showed the safety mechanisms that are intended to prevent ammunition from being fired if the trigger is not pulled.
Firearm from the “Rust” set worked “perfectly”
The day before, an FBI expert testified in court that the revolver used by Baldwin was fully functional and had safety features when it arrived at an FBI laboratory. He had to hit the fully loaded gun with a hammer and break it so that it could fire without pulling the trigger.
Weapons expert Haag confirmed that he saw no signs that the weapon used was broken or had been modified before it was tested by the FBI. He inspected and tested the firearm extensively. After he reconstructed the weapon that had been broken by the FBI, it worked “perfectly.”
Armsmaster Gutierrez-Reed has to answer in court on suspicion of negligent homicide and tampering with evidence. The trial began last week in New Mexico before a jury that will decide whether the 24-year-old is responsible for Hutchins’ accidental death.
Alec Baldwin will also soon be in court
Alec Baldwin will also go on trial this year. From July 9th this will also take place in Santa Fe. At the beginning of February, the actor pleaded “not guilty” in the involuntary manslaughter trial in connection with the shooting.
The tragic incident occurred on October 21, 2021 on the set of the western film “Rust”. A prop gun that Alec Baldwin was holding at a rehearsal was apparently loaded with live ammunition and went off. How this could have happened is still unclear. The star has repeatedly emphasized that he did not pull the trigger. The first criminal charges against him were dropped in April 2022. At that time, however, a statement from the investigating authority said that they reserved the right to charge him again if new facts emerged. In mid-August 2023, another report came to the conclusion that the actor did pull the trigger. He was charged again in January 2024.