A US prosecutor will announce Thursday whether the fatal shooting of Alec Baldwin on the set of the film Oxide in 2021 will lead to criminal prosecution of the actor or other people involved.
On October 21, 2021, this filming on a ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, had turned tragic when Alec Baldwin activated a weapon that was supposed to contain only blanks, but whose very projectile had killed the director of the Photographs Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza.
This rare news had shocked Hollywood and had a strong impact beyond the American borders.
The 64-year-old actor, best known for the series “30 Rock,” has always said he was sure his gun was harmless.
Alec Baldwin also maintained that he did not pull the trigger, a claim disputed by experts.
The police investigation focused in particular on determining how live ammunition could be found on the set, which in theory is strictly prohibited, precisely to avoid accidents.
Officers concluded that the gunsmith who fired the shots, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, planted the ammunition in the gun used by Alec Baldwin, instead of a fake bullet.
Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and the prosecutor appointed to investigate the shooting, Andrea Reeb, will announce their decision Thursday, according to a statement.
Authorities said last year that four people, including Alec Baldwin, could face prosecution.
In August, the star said he hoped no one would be charged, telling CNN that he had hired a private detective to establish liability in the case.
The tragedy led to a series of civil lawsuits from various members of the team.
In October 2022, Alec Baldwin announced that he had reached a settlement ending civil lawsuits brought by Ms. Hutchins’ family.
Its amount was not disclosed.
At that time, the resumption of filming for “Rust” was also announced for 2023.
Source: BFM TV
