A video from the filming location, presented for the first time during the trial of the firearms specialist, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, shows Alec Baldwin holding a gun and waving it towards those around him. The footage depicts Baldwin gesturing with a gun loaded with blank rounds intended for filming and firing the weapon close to camera operators, according to a report by The Telegraph.
In another clip, Baldwin can be seen lying on the ground in New Mexico discussing his notes for a reshoot while pointing the gun. Brian Carpenter, a firearms expert called as a witness by the court, stated, "He uses the gun as a pointing stick, like his finger."
At one point, the cameras captured Baldwin asking Gutierrez to reload the gun faster and questioning her about not preparing more firearms. Baldwin then fired blank rounds from the gun, which passed through a wooden shed before the director shouted "cut" in one of the scenes shown to the jurors.
After the director called for a cut, Baldwin insisted on doing the scene again, after which Gutierrez Reed was seen hastily reloading the weapon with blank cartridges. Baldwin could be heard saying, "We need to have two guns and reload them." Prosecutors alleged that Baldwin endangered public safety by rushing the armorer.
It is worth noting that Baldwin's trial is set to take place next July on charges of involuntary manslaughter after the shooting incident that resulted in the death of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of "Rust," according to a U.S. court ruling at the end of last month.
The trial of the actor, who is both a star and producer of the film, is scheduled to last about two weeks from July 9 to July 19 in a court in New Mexico (Southwest), as reported by court documents. Baldwin faces the possibility of up to 18 months in prison.
The filming of "Rust" turned tragic in October 2021 at a ranch in New Mexico, where Baldwin pointed a weapon that was supposed to contain only blank rounds, but a live projectile resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. The rare incident shocked Hollywood and led to calls for banning firearms on film sets. Baldwin, 65, has denied pulling the trigger and has repeatedly stated that he checked to ensure his weapon was safe.
