The latest FBI forensic report shows that the .45 colt caliber used in the fatal shooting on the “Rust” movie set could not have been fired without pulling the trigger.
Alec Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when it went off on Oct. 21, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza.
A newly released FBI analysis of the revolver that Baldwin had in his hand suggested it was in working order at the time and would not have discharged unless it was fully cocked and the trigger was pulled.
Baldwin, however, previously told ABC’s Goerge Stephanopoulus “the trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger.” Baldwin also said he believed he was handling a “cold gun” — meaning one without any live ammunition.
With the hammer in full cock position, the FBI report stated the gun could not be made to fire without pulling the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional.
During the testing of the gun by the FBI, authorities said, portions of the gun’s trigger sear and cylinder stop fractured while the hammer was struck. That allowed the hammer to fall and the firing pin to detonate the primer.
“This was the only successful discharge during this testing and it was attributed to the fracture of internal components, not the failure of the firearm or safety mechanisms,” the report stated.
In reaching its conclusion that the shooting was an accident, New Mexico’s medical investigator’s office pointed to “the absence of obvious intent to cause harm or death” and stated that there was “no compelling demonstration” that the revolver was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on the set.
Despite this, the report does call Baldwin’s credibility into question.
If his insistence that he did not pull the trigger is not true, one could speculate that other parts of his statement should be put under the microscope, as well.
In a statement, an attorney for Baldwin, said: “This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have found that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and believed the gun was safe.”
Prosecutors have not yet decided if any charges will be filed in the case, saying they would review the latest reports and were awaiting cell phone data from Baldwin’s attorneys.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.