Alec Baldwin’s Lawyer Reacts to FBI Report Finding He May Have Pulled Trigger in ‘Rust’ Shooting

Nearly a year after the fatal shooting on the set of Rust, the FBI released a forensic report about the incident. In their report, they determined that the gun that was discharged on the set, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, could not have been fired without someone pulling the trigger. Now, a lawyer for Alec Baldwin, who was holding the gun and previously claimed that he did not pull the trigger, has released a statement about the FBI’s report. 

Entertainment Tonight obtained a copy of the FBI’s forensic report, which determined that the gun involved in the shooting — a .45 colt caliber F.lli Pietta single-action revolver — “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger.” The report also stated that with the hammer of the gun fully cocked, it “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional.” Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, released a statement in which he mentioned that the FBI’s report was “misconstrued.”

“The critical report is the one from the medical examiner, who concluded that this was a tragic accident. This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have found that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and believed the gun was safe,” Nikas’ statement read. “The FBI report is being misconstrued. The gun fired in testing only one time –without having to pull the trigger — when the hammer was pulled back and the gun broke in two different places. The FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior test, even when pulling the trigger, because it was in such poor condition.”

Baldwin previously told Good Morning America in December 2021 that he did not pull the trigger of the prop gun that eventually discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. He said during the interview, “Well, the trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger.” Good Morning America‘s George Stephanopoulos then questioned, “So you never pulled the trigger?” Baldwin replied, “No, no, no. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never.” Since the tragic October 2021 incident, Baldwin has found himself involved in a number of lawsuits connected to the matter. A police investigation into the situation is also nearing its end, with Baldwin possibly facing charges.