Alec Baldwin Speaks Out About ‘Rust’ Shooting For First Time

Alec Baldwin made his first on-camera statement about the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust.

“She was my friend,” Baldwin told reporters. “The day I arrived in Santa Fe to start shooting I took her to dinner with Joel the director.”

He also mentioned Hutchins’s son, who he spoke to after the shooting happened.

“The guy is overwhelmed with grief,” he said. “There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this. This is a one in a trillion episode.”

Baldwin was practicing a cross-draw on set when he accidentally discharged the weapon, which he was told was not loaded. There was a mix of live ammunition and dummy bullets on the set, which lead to a live bullet being placed in the gun.

Baldwin had previously been very careful with firearms on set and was apparently heartbroken at the tragic accident.

“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he wrote in a now private tweet. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

The incident has sparked a debate over safety on film-set with many calling for stricter safety guidelines to avoid similar situations from happening again.

Authorities are still investigating the matter, and plan on interviewing over 100 people who were on the set the day of the shooting.