Alec Baldwin says fatal shooting was 'one in a trillion'

US actor Alec Baldwin described cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as "family" in his first on-camera comments since he fatally shot her during filming of the movie "Rust"

US actor Alec Baldwin said Saturday in his first public comments on his fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun on a movie set that the tragedy was a "one in a trillion episode."

In footage aired by TMZ, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria spoke to reporters who intercepted them in Manchester, Vermont. The Hollywood star declined to comment on the investigation of the shooting on the set of the 19th-century Western "Rust" on October 21.

"She was my family," he told the reporters in the footage.

Calls have grown since the incident for better control of weapons on Hollywood sets, and Baldwin said the effort was "something I am extremely interested in."

He also said that production on "Rust," which was suspended immediately after the killing, would not resume.

The round passed through Hutchins' body and struck director Joel Souza in the shoulder. She died, while he was treated in hospital for the injury and released. 

The assistant director, Dave Halls, has since told detectives that he did not fully check the gun before declaring it safe.

- 'Well-oiled crew' -

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, was responsible for supplying and keeping weapons safe on set, ensuring that they were accounted for at all times and locked away when not in use.

"They were locked up every night and at lunch and there's no way a single one of them was unaccounted for or being shot by crew members."

Gutierrez-Reed spoke after days of reports suggesting safety lapses on set.

Investigators in Santa Fe, where "Rust" was being made, said they had seized a cache of ammunition, some of which they believe was live, and the sheriff told reporters there was "some complacency" on set.

"We were a very, very ... well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened," he said.

bur-st/dw

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Originally published as Alec Baldwin says fatal shooting was 'one in a trillion'