Alec Baldwin Firing Gun in 'Rust' Shooting Without Actually Pulling the Trigger Possible? District Attorney Says It Is

A Santa Fe district attorney said that Alec Baldwin could have fired a gun on the set of "Rust" without actually pulling the trigger.

Santa Fe's district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies made her comment during an interview with Vanity Fair, saying her estimation came following an "unofficial test" from her team.

Carmack-Altwies has yet to file criminal charges. Fox News reported that a full forensic report is expected later this month, which many believe would tackle the make and type of ammunition used in the prop weapon that was supposed to be housing blank dummy rounds.

In a recent ABC News interview, the actor said he never pulled the trigger on the prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin noted that he was following Hutchins' instructions to point the gun at her without knowing there was live ammunition in the gun.

The actor noted that he had been told the gun was "cold," or it contained no live ammunition, as he pointed the gun at Hutchins as directed as she prepared to film a scene. Baldwin said he then cocked the gun, let go of the hammer, and that's when the firearm went off.

To see if what Baldwin was saying was possible, Carmack-Altwies said her team conducted an informal experiment, Entertainment Weekly reported.

The district attorney noted that she asked one of her investigators to bring his "very old type revolver" into the office.

Carmack-Altwies said two investigators - one who supplied the gun and another who verified it was empty - examined the firearm.

She said the investigators showed her that one could "pull the hammer back without actually pulling the trigger and without actually locking it."

"So you pull it back partway, it doesn't lock, and then if you let it go, the firing pin can hit the primer of the bullet," she added.

'Rust' Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' Family Files Lawsuit Against Alec Baldwin

Halyna Hutchins' family is currently suing Alec Baldwin and other "Rust" crew members for wrongful death.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Santa Fe County in New Mexico, where the fatal "Rust" shooting happened last October.

Lawyers for Hutchins' family said the "reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures" of Baldwin and the movie producers led to Hutchins' death.

The lawsuit noted that the actor had a duty to learn gun safety rules, self-check the specific revolver, never point the gun at a person, and keep his finger away from the trigger until he's ready to shoot.

According to the lawsuit, part of the cost-cutting was hiring the new armorer in the film industry, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, also named a defendant.

The lawsuit said Gutierrez-Reed, whose job involved managing all the firearms and ensuring they were safely handled, had a duty to prevent live ammunition from infiltrating the "Rust" production and provide a reasonably safe production set environment.

Aside from announcing the lawsuit, the lawyers for Hutchins' family also showed a nearly 10-minute animated video that showed the moment Baldwin accidentally shot Hutchins on the "Rust" set.

"I think it's clear what happened. He had the gun, he says he pulled the hammer back, it fired, and she was killed... We don't think this was caused by any defect in the weapon," lawyer Brian Panish said.

The Hutchins' family lawsuit is one of four legal claims filed against Alec Baldwin and "Rust" producers.

The Death of Halyna Hutchins

Halyna Hutchins died on October 21 after Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun on the set of the Western feature film in New Mexico.

Police said deputies were dispatched to the film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe after receiving an emergency call about the accidental shooting on the set.

Hutchins was transported via helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

Aside from Hutchins, "Rust" director Joel Souza was also injured and hospitalized but survived. Investigators are still investigating the incident. No one has been arrested or charged as the investigation continues on how the tragic shooting occurred.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Moment Alec Baldwin Accidentally Shot and Killed Halyna Hutchins on Set Recreated by Her Family - From The Telegraph