Criminal charges 'on the table' in deadly 'Rust' movie-set shooting involving Alec Baldwin: DA

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Investigators said Wednesday that there was "some complacency" in how weapons were handled on a movie set where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer and wounded another person, but it's too soon to determine whether charges will be filed.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza also noted that 500 rounds of ammunition - a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and live rounds - were found while searching the set of the Western "Rust."

"Obviously I think the industry has had a record recently of being safe. I think there was some complacency on this set, and I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico," Mendoza told a news conference nearly a week after the shooting happened during rehearsal, killing cinematographer 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Detectives have recovered a lead projectile they believe the actor fired last week. Testing is being done to confirm whether the projectile taken from director Joel Souza's shoulder was fired from the same long Colt revolver used by Baldwin. Two other guns seized include a single-action revolver that may have been modified and a plastic gun that was described as a revolver, officials said.

Investigators said they planned to follow up on reports of other incidents involving misfires with guns on the set.

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said investigators cannot say whether it was negligence or by whom at this point.

Ask by a reporter whether Baldwin could face criminal charges, Carmack-Altwies said, "All options are on the table at this point."... (Read more)

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