Alec Baldwin Makes First On-Camera Remarks About 'Rust' Shooting That Killed 'Friend' Halyna Hutchins

"This is a one in a trillion episode," Baldwin said of the accident that saw him fire a prop gun with live ammo that killed "friend" Halyna Hutchins.

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Alec Baldwin has opened up for the first time on camera about the fatal shooting accident on the set of Rust, which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

In a discussion that TMZ reports took place where Baldwin and his family have been staying in Manchester, Vermont the 63-year-old and wife Hilaria appeared in front of cameras after reportedly pulling over their vehicle. 

“I’m not allowed to make any comments because it’s an ongoing investigation,” said Baldwin, who mentioned his kids were crying in the car at the moment due to the paparazzi’s pursuit. “I’ve been ordered by the Sheriff’s Department in Santa Fe. I can’t answer any questions about the investigation. I can’t. … She was my friend,” he said of the 42-year-old Hutchins. “The day I arrived in Santa Fe to start shooting I took her to dinner with Joel, the director. We were a very, very…well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened.”

Asked what it was like meeting with Hutchins’ husband and 9-year-old son, he replied, “They’re mortified. … The guy is overwhelmed with grief. This is something that, you know, there are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this. This is a one in a trillion episode.” Her husband is “shock” and Baldwin is “in constant contact with him, because we’re very worried about his family and his kid.”

The 30 Rock actor shared that he would be interested in backing efforts to limit the use of guns on future film sets, but elaborated that he himself is no expert in the matter and that “whatever other people decide is the best way to go in terms of protecting people’s safety on film sets, I’m all in favor of and I will cooperate with that in any way that I can.”

He added, “I do know that an ongoing effort to limit the use of firearms on film sets is something I’m extremely interested in. But remember, something that I think is important, and that is: how many bullets have been fired in films and TV shows in the last 75 years? This is America. How many bullets have gone off, in movies and on TV sets before? How many? Billions, in the last 75 years? And nearly all of it without incident.”

Since the Rust shooting, news has arrived that assistant director Dave Halls and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed both had previous issues with safety and protocol on film sets. For all the information on the accident and its still-unfolding aftermath, head here.

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