On Tuesday, Santa Fe County District Attorney, Mary Carmack-Altweis, "took issue with descriptions of the firearm used in the incident" as a prop gun.
"It was a legit gun," she told the New York Times. "It was an antique-era appropriate gun."
Fox News Digital spoke to armorer and founder and president of Dark Thirty Film Services, LLC, Bryan W. Carpenter, who explained the term.
"The term prop gun is a term that's been used incorrectly," he noted. "A true prop gun is a gun that's made out of rubber. Either soft rubber or hard rubber, and/or plastic, and they're used when you don't need a real gun.
"In other words, it's not going to be firing blanks," he explained. "You use them for stunt performers who are going to be coming through a window, or the gun's going to go flying across the floor in a scene, or they're having a fight scene where they're going to be hitting each other with the gun, or for rehearsals where a gun is not needed."
The Santa Fe County District Attorney, Mary Carmack-Altweis, said Tuesday she was not ruling out criminal charges in the fatal on-set shooting.
"Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table," she told the New York Times.
"No one's been charged or arrested so you don't impose those types of things on people," Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office PIO Juan Rios told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. "We're always of the mind set -- if they don't live here -- they will continue to be cooperative with the investigators."
{{#rendered}}The Santa Fe coroner told Fox News on Tuesday that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ autopsy could take 6-10+ weeks.
Autopsies like this take "6-10 weeks on average but depending on how complex it is, it could take longer,” the coroner stated.
The "Rust" script supervisor Mamie Mitchell -- who placed the 911 call after the on-set shooting -- and her legal team, which consists of high-powered attorney Gloria Allred, will conduct their "own investigation," according to Allred.
Allred cites "many unanswered questions."
"My law firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, and I represent Mamie Mitchell. Mamie was the Script Supervisor for the “Rust” production," a statement from Allred -- and obtained by Fox News -- reads.
The statement continues: "She was standing very close to Halyna Hutchins and the director, Joel Souza, when both Halyna and Joel were shot. Mamie immediately ran out of the small church to call 911. On her call Mamie urged the emergency responders to come as soon as possible. We have reason to believe that she was the first person to call 911. Halyna was a friend and close colleague of Mamie.
"She is devastated by the loss of her friend who was an extraordinary woman," the statement adds. "Mamie recently attended the vigil for Halyna and her heart goes out to Halyna’s husband and son to whom she has spoken. We are conducting our own investigation of what happened because there are many unanswered questions.
"Mamie has been interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department. She has information and evidence which she believes will be helpful in this investigation. She will continue to answer any additional questions that law enforcement may have and to provide them with evidence that she believes is relevant to their investigation. Mamie has been traumatized by the shooting and death of Halyna Hutchins."
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-investigation-gloria-allred
The death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" may have been an accident, but it’s possible those involved with the incident could still face civil or legal ramifications.
Following the release of a search warrant executed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's office, detectives uncovered that there were three key people who handled the firearm that eventually went off and resulted in the death of Hutchins.
Legal experts say two of them could face criminal charges while Baldwin may be open to a civil suit given that he’s a producer on the indie-western.
Click Here to read more.
{{#rendered}}TMZ previously speculated, after sources close to the set reported that the guns were sometimes used for off-time target practice, that the hobby contributed to the live-round mix up.
Now, according to a report from TheWrap, unnamed crew members have stated that the firearm handled by Baldwin was used earlier that same day to go "plinking," a hobby in which people shoot at beer cans with live ammunition for fun.
Click here to read more.
Prop master of 20 years Lucien Charles told Fox News of the many systems in place designed to prevent accidental incidents like the one that left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead after a gun accidentally fired on the set of “Rust.”
"[My reaction] was, ‘Wow, somebody messed up,’" the veteran prop master explained. “When you go to work, you’re not expecting to die that day. It’s just a bad situation."
In New York City, for example, Charles notes that all live firearms on a set must be cleared with the police department so they’re properly inspected and officers are aware crew has them.
Click here to read more.
A new project narrated by Alec Baldwin has had its release date postponed "indefinitely" following the "Rust" shooting accident, according to Deadline.
"Flint: Who Can You Trust?" was initially set to open in several cities on Friday and a digital release was reportedly planned for November.
"Out of the deepest respect for all those affected by this terrible tragedy, we feel now is not the time to release FLINT: Who Can You Trust?” director Anthony Baxter told the outlet in a statement.
He continued: “The film sheds a crucial spotlight on the ongoing plight of Flint residents because of the water disaster. However, we will now be positioning the film for release in the US at a future date.” -Mariah Haas
{{#rendered}}Coverage for this event has ended.