Inquiry into Baldwin shooting focuses on gun protocol

The police investigation into a fatal shooting with a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin on a film set was focusing Saturday on the specialist in charge of the weapon and the assistant director who handed it to Baldwin. 

Ukraine-born cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was struck in the chest and died shortly after the incident Thursday in New Mexico, while director Joel Souza, 48, who was crouching behind her as they lined up a shot, was wounded and hospitalized, then released. 

Police interviewed a visibly distraught Baldwin, who willingly cooperated. They have pressed no charges.

Souza said in a statement Saturday that he was "gutted" by the loss of his friend and colleague. "She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch, and always pushed me to be better," he told Deadline, an entertainment news outlet.

The incident sparked intense speculation on social media about how such an accident could have occurred despite detailed and long-established gun-safety protocols for film sets.

- Accidental discharges -

The accident took place roughly midway through the filming of a low-budget Western called "Rust," starring Baldwin.

The Los Angeles Times, citing anonymous sources, described an unhappy film crew and roiling labor problems on the film set.

The incident came only hours after a walk-out by film crew members concerned about working conditions, according to the Times. Among their complaints were two or three accidental prop-gun discharges.

According to the paper, one camera operator had messaged a production manager, saying, "We've now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe."

Rust Movie Productions said in a statement that it had not been made aware of any "official complaints" but would "continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities" while also conducting its own review.

Some details emerged in an affidavit submitted by the Santa Fe County sheriff's office to obtain a search warrant. The affidavit was viewed by AFP.

It said Assistant Director Dave Halls, the Hollywood veteran who handed the gun to Baldwin during a rehearsal, called out "cold gun" as he did so -- industry code for a weapon with no live ammunition.