- Crew members reportedly shot at targets with live ammunition hours before Hutchins'
death . - One used was the gun Baldwin shot that killed Hutchins, according to The Wrap and TMZ.
Two reports now suggest that the gun that killed "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was used for live-ammo target practice by crew members on the morning of the shooting.
Several crew members took prop guns from the movie, including the one that killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, and drove away from the "
The Wrap characterized the informal target practice as "plinking," in which you line up cans or bottles and shoot them to pass the time.
Both outlets report that one of the guns used for plinking was the gun Baldwin fired.
The producers of "Rust" gave The Wrap the following statement:
"The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company. Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down. We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time."
On October 21, according to an affidavit by the movie's director Joel Souza obtained by Insider, Baldwin's gun fired while he was practicing to draw his gun and point it at the camera, fatally killing Hutchins and injuring Souza.
Baldwin said in an affidavit that he was told by the movie's assistant director, Dave Halls, who handed him the gun, that it was a "cold gun," which is a term used in a movie that the gun is not loaded.
Since the incident, several reports have emerged pointing to an unsafe filming environment on the "Rust" set.
According to the Los Angeles Times, several members of the camera crew walked off set to protest safety conditions hours before the shooting.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the 24-year-old head armorer working on the movie, also previously told a podcast she almost didn't take her previous job because she wasn't sure if she was experienced enough. "Rust" was her second movie as a head armorer.
Detectives searching the set found loose ammunition inside a fanny pack as well as in boxes, and lying around loosely, The New York Times reported, citing a court filing.
A police investigation is ongoing.