Investigators of a fatal Santa Fe movie-set shooting have revealed a lead projectile was responsible for killing a cinematographer and additional suspected live ammunition was found at the filming location.
“We suspect that there were other live rounds that were found on the set. I won’t comment further on how they got there. That will be determined when testing is done by the crime lab in reference to whether or not they are officially live rounds.”
That’s Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza at the first joint news conference on the shooting with Santa Fe’s District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.
Dummy and blank rounds were also found on scene.
The shooting on set of the Western “Rust” filmed at the Bonanza Creek Ranch left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead and director Joel Souza wounded.
Producer and actor Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger of a gun that was supposedly “cold” and safe to use on set––but a live, lead projectile was in the chamber and later retrieved from Souza’s arm as evidence in the ongoing investigation. Detectives say one bullet was fired.
Law enforcement officials also noted they recovered three firearms in the close proximity where the shooting took place: a modified single action revolver, a plastic gun, and a fully functional FD Pietta Long Colt .45 revolver.
It’s unclear if anyone involved in the shooting will be charged criminally. However, District Attorney Carmack-Altwies is not ruling out the possibility and interviews of the nearly 100 people present on the film set have not yet been finished.