New Mexico officials say charges against Alec Baldwin and others are still an option

Officials have “not ruled out” criminal charges against Alec Baldwin, as another key crew member present during the shooting makes a startling revelation.

Officials investigating the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins say they have “not ruled out” charges against Alec Baldwin for firing the fatal shot.

The 63-year-old actor discharged a gun on the set of the Rust movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 21, accidentally killing Hutchins, 42, and injuring the film’s director Joel Souza.

And in another shocking development to the story, the film’s assistant director has reportedly revealed that he didn’t check every barrel of the gun but “could have” before he handed it to Baldwin.

The Daily Mail reports that Rust’s assistant director Dave Hall has told police he only checked three out of five chambers of the gun before handing it to Baldwin.

He told police the film’s armorist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed handed him the weapon, but that he couldn’t remember if she “spun the drum” - protocol to show that the gun is unloaded.

“David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds.

“He advised he should have checked them all but didn’t and couldn’t recall if she spun the drum,” the search warrant says, as per the Daily Mail.

Halyna Hutchins who was shot on set of Rust being filmed in new Mexico by actor Alec Baldwin

Meanwhile, Santa Fe County district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza discussed the incident in a press conference that took place nearly one week after the fatal shooting.

Mr Mendoza said it was too early in the investigation to press charges regarding the case, as he revealed the authorities are working hard to determine what happened on set.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza speaks during a press conference.

He said police are in possession of 600 items including three weapons and other live rounds from the set.

“We’re going to determine how those (live rounds) got there, why they were there, because they shouldn’t have been there,” Mr Mendoza said

They are also in possession of the gun which Baldwin fired that killed Hutchins as well as the shell casing.

“He’s obviously the person that fired the weapon,” Ms Carmack-Altwies said regarding Baldwin. “All options are on the table. No one has been ruled out at this point.”

table.”

First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies for the state of New Mexico.

According to the affidavit filed by investigators, assistant director Dave Halls had handed Baldwin the prop gun and yelled that it was a “cold gun,” meaning it was not loaded with live ammunition.

Along with Halls, the gun was also handled by armor Hannah Gutierrez Reed.

Mr Mendoza said Gutierrez Reed and Halls had both been interviewed by police.

Gutierrez-Reed was working on just her second movie set and had previously expressed concerns that she “wasn’t ready” to take the job.

Assistant director Dave Halls.

Armorer Hanna Gutierrez-Reed.

Halls told detectives he did not know that there were live rounds in the gun, the affidavit reads.

Halls was previously the subject of a safety complaint on the set of the Hulu series Into the Dark in 2019.

Crew member Maggie Goll said in a statement to The Associated Press that she filed an internal complaint with the executive producers over concerns about assistant director Halls‘ behaviour on set.

Ms Goll said in an email that Halls disregarded safety protocols for weapons and pyrotechnics and tried to continue filming after a crew member had ”slipped into a diabetic fugue state.”

“He did not maintain a safe working environment,” Ms Goll told NBC News. ”Sets were almost always allowed to become increasingly claustrophobic, no established fire lanes, exits blocked … safety meetings were non-existent.”