A new forensic report suggests Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger of the revolver that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, contradicting the actor’s denial and raising the possibility of new charges, according to People.
Involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin were dropped in April as prosecutors investigated his claim that the Colt revolver he held during a rehearsal fired without him pulling the trigger, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The new report, prepared by firearms experts Lucien Haag and Mike Haag for New Mexico prosecutors in the manslaughter case against “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, concluded the trigger “had to be pulled” for the weapon to fire.
“Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver,” the experts stated in the report, according to People.
“This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by the pull or rearward depression of the trigger,” the report continued.
Prosecutors said when they dropped Baldwin’s charges that they may revisit the decision after further analysis of the gun.
“If it is determined that the gun did not malfunction, charges against Mr. Baldwin will proceed,” prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis wrote in a June court filing.
Baldwin told ABC News in December 2021 that “didn’t pull the trigger” and “would never point a gun at anyone” and fire. He stuck to the story in subsequent interviews.
The FBI reached conclusions similar to the new report in 2022, saying the revolver could not have been fired without pulling the trigger, ABC News reported at the time.