New videos show Alec Baldwin with prop gun days before fatal gunfire on movie set

By Melissa Alonso, CNN

(CNN) — A series of videos exclusively obtained by NBC News show actor Alec Baldwin handling at least one prop gun during filming of the movie “Rust,” days before a deadly on-set shooting.

In the videos, which appear to be raw footage from the western, Baldwin is seen firing a gun as he comes out of a shack and runs through a mountainous area surrounded by brush.

In one of the clips, Baldwin is shown interacting with the film crew, discussing his character’s movements, how the scene will be shot, and how he will act through it.

In another scene, Baldwin is on his back, with a rifle next to him, speaking to the film crew.

“Now wait a second, if I am going to shoot right, do you want to go to the other side of the camera?  I don’t want to shoot towards you,” the actor says.

The never-before-seen footage is the first glimpse of Baldwin working with a prop gun on the New Mexico set and was filmed in the days before the October 2021 shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza when a gun held by Baldwin fired a live round while rehearsing a scene.

Involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin were dismissed in April, but a New Mexico grand jury is expected to decide soon whether charges should be refiled, CNN has reported.

The new videos are among dozens requested from Rust Movie Productions LLC by special prosecutors in the spring, NBC reported.

The footage could be presented to the grand jury as evidence in the case.

Part of the Santa Fe County police investigation focuses on how a live round of ammunition may have made it onto the movie set.

Baldwin’s attorneys, as well as special prosecutors did not comment to NBC.

CNN has reached out to attorneys for Baldwin and prosecutors for comment but has not heard back.

Baldwin denied pulling the trigger on the weapon in a previous interview with CNN. His attorneys told CNN in October they will address the case in court.

“It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, told CNN in a statement.

“We will answer any charges in court.”

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