Amid a rehearsal of the film in Santa Fe, New Mexico, assistant director Dave Halls took a prop gun from a cart, telling Baldwin that it was a “cold gun.” This meant that the gun did not contain live ammunition, however, even prop guns are able to fire blanks that inflict serious injury if someone is standing too close. After the incident, Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she was sadly pronounced dead. Director Joe Souza, who had been hit in the shoulder by the bullet that killed Hutchins, was in a critical condition in October.

“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. I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation,” said Baldwin of the tragic events on Twitter. “My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

An ongoing investigation states that while Baldwin was told that the gun was not designed to actually injure anyone, the question still stands over how live ammunition was found inside the gun. Speaking to ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin claimed that he did not pull the trigger on the weapon that killed Hutchins. 

“She was someone who was loved by everyone who worked with her, liked by everyone she worked with and admired. Even now, I find it hard to believe that, it just doesn’t seem real to me,” continued the actor. The full interview will be available through ABC at 8.00pm ET December 2nd/1.00am GMT December 3rd. 

Baldwin and the remainder of the production team for Rust are being sued by a member of the crew for general negligence triggering “severe emotional distress” amongst the employees.