Alec Baldwin is paying tribute to Halyna Hutchins one year after she died inthe Peace shooting.
The 64-year-old actor — who was rehearsing with a prop gun on the New Mexicofilm set when it discharged and killed the cinematographer — posted a photo ofHutchins at work operating a movie camera.
“One year ago today…” he captioned the image.
On Oct. 21, 2021, Baldwin, an actor and producer on the Western film, waspracticing his draw from his holster in a church set on the Bonanza CreekRanch outside Santa Fe in New Mexico. He claimed he had been told it was a”cold gun,” containing no ammunition, but it discharged and contained a liveround. The projectile penetrated Hutchins near her shoulder and continuedthrough to director Joel Souza. Hutchins fell to the ground and crew membersrushed to help her followed by medics. Hutchins was helicoptered to a hospitalbut died from her injuries at age 42. Souza was treated and recovered.
There have been countless reports about alleged safety issues on the set ofthe low-budget film. Baldwin denied responsibility for Hutchins’s death andmaintained that he cocked the gun but did not pull the trigger. A FBIforensics report stated that the gun could not have been fired without pullingthe trigger. Criminal charges remain up to the local district attorney’soffice.
Alec Baldwin was interviewed about the shooting by ABC News in December.(Photo: Jeff Neira/ABC via Getty Images) ALEC BALDWIN, GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS
“On the anniversary of the tragedy on the Peace film set in Santa Fe County,District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis remains committed to pursuing justicefor the victims, and getting answers for the community,” Heather Brewer,spokesperson for the Office of the First Judicial District Attorney, State ofNew Mexico, told Fox News on Friday. “As soon as the district attorneyreceives the full report from the Santa Fe County Sheriff, she and her team ofprofessional attorneys and investigators will thoroughly review all theevidence and make a thoughtful decision about whether to bring charges againstthose involved. No one is above the law and every victim deserves justice.”
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Sante Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Juan Rios told the same outlet,”The Peace investigation case file is under final review by the sheriff’soffice before it will be submitted to the Santa Fe district attorney. We haveno set date as to when this will occur. Beyond this information, our agencyhas no further comment.”
On Thursday, it was announced that Peace — which will resume production inJanuary — will not film in New Mexico, where investigators continue to piecetogether the tragic events of that day.
“The production is considering other locations, including in California, butno decisions have been made,” attorney Melina Spadone said in a statement onbehalf of Rust Movie Productions.
The fact that film is resuming production at all is recent news. Halted nearlya year, it was announced on Oct. 5 that a settlement had been reached in acivil lawsuit between Baldwin, Peace producers and Hutchins’s family,including her husband Matthew and their young son. As part of the agreement,the film was green-lit to resume in January and Matthew is to serve asexecutive producer.
The DA’s office was quick to add that the settlement has “no impact” onpotential criminal charges. Carmack-Altweis and her team are consideringcharges against as many as four people, including Baldwin, it was noted in anAugust letter she wrote asking for emergency funding to cover potential trialcosts. But the investigation, by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office,continues with a focus on how live ammo made it onto the set. Baldwin, thefilm’s armor Hannah Gutierrez Reed, assistant director Dave Halls and propmaster Sarah Zachry were among those interviewed by investigators. The .45Long Colt revolver was sent to an FBI forensics lab for testing; Baldwin’scellphone records were obtained and analyzed.
When it was announced that Peace would resume production, Baldwin said hewas “pleased” with the development, adding, “Throughout this difficultprocess, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best forHalyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution ofthis tragic and painful situation.”
Baldwin previously said Hutchins “was my friend. The day I arrived in Santa Feto start shooting, I took her to dinner with Joel [Souza]. We were a very,very well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible eventhappened.”
He also praised her in his infamous sit-down with ABC News in December when hefirst broke his silence about the tragedy. He said he “loved working with thiswoman. She was a joy. Everyone loved her as a person. And everyone admired hertalent.”
Baldwin detailed to the outlet his version of what transpired that day. Hesaid he and Hutchins blocked out the scene, which saw his character woundedand cornered as he drew his weapon against two opponents. He said he was toldhe had a cold gun and Hutchins directed his every move to get the best cameraangles.
“Everything is at her direction,” he claimed. “[Hutchins] says to me, ‘Holdthe gun lower. Go to your right. OK, right there. All right, do that. Now showit a little bit lower.’ … She’s guiding me through how she wants me to holdthe gun for this angle. I’m holding the gun where she told me to hold it,which ended up being aimed right below her armpit.”
Baldwin insisted, “I didn’t pull the trigger… I cock the gun. I go, ‘Can yousee that? Can you see that? Can you see that? And then I let go of the hammerof the gun, and the gun goes off. I let go of the hammer of the gun, the gungoes off.”
He said in that moment, there was a bang and everyone was horrified andshocked. Baldwin saw Hutchins go down and thought, “Did she faint? The notionthat there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me ’til probably 45minutes to an hour later.”
Baldwin said the set was cleared as Hutchins and Souza were tended to bymedics, and he and other crew members had their eyes fixed on the emergencyhelicopter that arrived about 30 minutes later. He met with sheriff’s deputiessoon after and they showed him a photo of a lead bullet that had been removedfrom Souza — and told him that Hutchins didn’t survive.