Investigations continue into the tragic death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film last Thursday and according to a new report, the weapon responsible for the fatal shooting had been used for target practice with live ammunition.
According to the report by The Wrap who obtained the knowledge from an individual with on-set knowledge of the production, the same weapon among other prop guns had been used for “plinking” to pass the time on set. Plinking is a term used for practicing aim on beer cans with live ammunition.
Hours later when back on set the fatal shooting occurred with one of the prop weapons. According to search warrants issued over the weekend, before being fired by lead actor Alec Baldwin, the weapon was cleared by assistant director David Halls who confirmed it did not contain live ammunition.
The producers of Rust did not respond when asked for comment by The Wrap, instead referring them to this previously released statement.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company. Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down. We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time.”
As the investigation into the tragic death of the 42-year-old continue new details continue to emerge from the set of Rust.
