Alec Baldwin Admits He Doesn’t Feel Guilty About Fatal ‘Rust’ Shooting: ‘I Might Have Killed Myself’ Otherwise
Alec Baldwin opened up to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos about his feelings regarding the deadly shooting incident on the set of Rust. Among the surprising revelations was his admission that he doesn’t feel guilty about the accident that took the life of a cinematographer and injured the director. Here’s what Baldwin told the network in his December 2, 2021, formal interview.
The ‘30 Rock’ star said he’s not responsible for the deadly shooting
Despite giving the interview in a visibly emotional state, Alec Baldwin was clear about his belief that he is in no way responsible. The October 21, 2021 accident at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. Two crew members also claim emotional injuries resulting from the prop gun incident in separate lawsuits.
However, Baldwin says none of it was his fault. “Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property,” Baldwin told Stephanopoulos in the interview. “Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”
Furthermore, he said he didn’t pull the trigger. “The trigger wasn’t pulled,” he said, adding, “I cock the gun… And then I let go of the hammer of the gun, and the gun goes off. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull a trigger at them.”
Baldwin additionally claims that it’s “unlikely” authorities will file charges against him. “I’ve been told by people who are in the know, in terms of even inside the state, that it’s highly unlikely that I would be charged with anything criminally,” he said.
“It’s overwhelmingly likely that it was an accident,” Baldwin added.
Alec Baldwin says he doesn’t feel guilt over the ‘Rust’ shooting accident
When asked by Stephanopoulos if he felt any guilt, Baldwin responded firmly. “No,” he said.
Moreover, Baldwin said he couldn’t handle feeling responsible for the death of Hutchins, who was the mother of a nine-year-old son.
“I might have killed myself if I felt that I was responsible,” the actor said. “I don’t say that lightly.”
However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t affected. According to Us Weekly, he said he’d “go to any lengths to undo” it all. He also admitted that he has nightmares.
“I have dreams about this constantly now,” he said. “I go through my day and I make it through the day. Then I collapse at the end of the day. Emotionally, I collapse.”
Alec Baldwin says Halyna Hutchins was ‘deeply admired’
In an emotional tribute the day after the accident, Baldwin took to social media to express his feelings.
“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 via his now-private Twitter account on October 22.
“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.”
Hutchins’ family and friends interred her at a private location in mid-November 2021.
