Criminal Charges on the Cards in Alec Baldwin Shooting

Legal authorities are not ruling out pursuing criminal charges following the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on Alec Baldwin’s upcoming Western film.

Last Thursday, 21 October, Baldwin accidentally misfired what was supposedly a prop gun while rehearsing on the set of “Rust”. Director Joel Souza was injured, while cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died from her injuries.

Speaking to a US media outlet on Tuesday, 26 October, Mary Carmack-Altwies – the district attorney for Santa Fe County in New Mexico – stated that “everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table.”

Regarding the “prop” gun, explains Carmack-Altwies, Baldwin was given the firearm by assistant director Dave Halls, who believed that it contained neither ammunition nor blanks.

She continued: “There were an enormous amount of bullets on this set, and we need to find out what kinds they were. [The firearm] was a legit gun. It was an antique-era appropriate gun.”

Reports that crew members used guns with live ammunition for target practice prior to the shooting remain “unconfirmed.”

It is unclear at this time who the charges will be filed against, although Baldwin – also one of the film’s producers – may be the likely recipient.

Image Credit: Source