Alec Baldwin says fatal 'Rust' set shooting was 'one in a trillion'

'She was my friend,' Baldwin told reporters of the cinematographer

Alec Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film 'Rust', which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. AP

A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the car park outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. AP

The entrance to the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters

The entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch used for film shoots. AP

A vehicle from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office exiting the set of 'Rust'. Reuters

Media crews outside the gate of the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters

Director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust'. AP

Journalists outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico. AP

Security guards block the Bonanza Creek Ranch. AP

The Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed, one day after the incident. Photo: Roberto E Rosales / Albuquerque Journal

A sign points to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe. AFP

A security guard speaks with a compliance officer from the State of New Mexico at the Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. AFP

Security guards at the entrance of the 'Rust' film set. AP

A vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held in the honour of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. AP

A candle bearing Halyna Hutchins's name is placed among others during a vigil in her honour. AP

A large crowd of movie industry workers and New Mexico residents attend the candlelight vigil. AP

New Mexico residents at the vigil. AP

Members of the local film community mourn the loss of Halyna Hutchins. Reuters

Film industry worker Jake Extine pays his respects. AP

A sign calling for workplace safety at the vigil. Reuters

People light candles to honour Halyna Hutchins. AP

Alec Baldwin gave his first public comments about his fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun on the Rust movie set, describing the tragedy as a "one in a trillion episode" on Saturday.

In footage shown by TMZ, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria spoke to reporters who intercepted them in Manchester, Vermont. The Hollywood star declined to comment on the investigation of the shooting that happened on October 21 on the set of the 19th-century-set Western film Rust.

Baldwin has previously tweeted to express his grief over the tragedy, and said he is co-operating with police investigating the shooting.

"She was my friend," he told the reporters in the footage.

"There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time, but nothing like this. This is a one in a trillion episode."

Calls have grown since the incident for better control of weapons on Hollywood sets, and Baldwin said the effort was "something I am extremely interested in."

But he could not say whether he would ever work with firearms on a set again.

He also said that production on Rust, which was suspended immediately after the shooting, would not resume.

Baldwin, who is a producer as well as the lead actor in the film, fired a live round from a Colt .45 during a rehearsal on the set of Rust.

The round passed through Hutchins's body and struck director Joel Souza in the shoulder. She died, while he was treated in hospital for the injury and discharged.

Baldwin, who had been told by the film's assistant director that the gun was "cold", meaning it did not have a live round in the chamber, said he could not comment on the ongoing investigation.

The assistant director, Dave Halls, has since told detectives that he did not fully check the gun before declaring it safe.

Halls was fired as assistant director on a previous movie for gun safety violations, that film's producers said this week.

'We were well-oiled crew'

The film's armourer said on Friday that she had "no idea" where the live round came from.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, was responsible for supplying and keeping weapons safe on set, ensuring that they were accounted for at all times and locked away when not in use.

She "never witnessed anyone shoot live rounds with these guns and nor would she permit that," read her statement.

"They were locked up every night and at lunch and there's no way a single one of them was unaccounted for or being shot by crew members."

More than a dozen weapons were being stored in a prop truck on the set, according to law enforcement documents seen by AFP on Friday.

Gutierrez-Reed spoke after days of reports suggesting safety lapses on set.

Authorities have said they do not rule out pressing criminal charges.

Investigators in Santa Fe, where Rust was being made, said they had seized a cache of ammunition, some of which they believe was live, and the sheriff told reporters there was "some complacency" on set.

Baldwin said that the day he arrived in Santa Fe, he had taken Hutchins and Souza to dinner.

"We were a very, very ... well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened," he said.

He described meeting Hutchins' widower and son, saying they were "overwhelmed with grief."