A movie director who survived being shot by Alec Baldwin during a movie rehearsal testified at trial that he felt the impact of the bullet while approaching the cinematographer on the set of the upcoming Western movie 'Rust.' The incident, which occurred on Oct. 21, 2021, resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The director, Joel Souza, described the moment as feeling like a baseball bat hitting his shoulder. He recounted the events leading up to the shooting, including the early morning start of the workday and the urgent need for camera crew replacements.
During a scene involving horses and wagons, Souza moved in behind Hutchins to observe a camera angle when he heard a loud bang. He emphasized that he never saw the gun that shot him and described the sound as deafening.
Prosecutors are focusing on reconstructing the chain of events that led to the use of live ammunition on a film set where it is prohibited. They are pursuing charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence against movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who maintains her innocence. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, has also been indicted and pleaded not guilty.
Video footage was presented showing Baldwin pressuring the movie armorer to reload guns quickly between scenes, which experts deemed as infringing on safety protocols. The defense attorney questioned Souza about the script's instructions regarding the gun's positioning, to which Souza clarified that the gun was supposed to be pulled out sideways.
Souza recalled seeing Gutierrez-Reed inside the church after being shot, with her expressing apologies and being ushered out by someone. The trial continues to delve into the responsibilities and actions of those involved in the tragic incident on the 'Rust' movie set.
