Baldwin Denies Pulling The Trigger On Prop Gun That Killed Crew

Actor Alec Baldwin reiterated that he did not pull the trigger on a prop gun that killed a film crew member and injured another. This happened last October 21 when Baldwin was shooting the movie “Rust.”

RELATED: Alec Baldwin Accidentally Kills Film Crew Member With Prop Gun

‘I Didn’t Pull The Trigger’

In a preview for his ABC News interview set to broadcast later this week, Baldwin talked to host George Stephanopoulos about the incident.

A very emotional Alec Baldwin insisted he did not pull the trigger of the prop gun. The movie shoot accident killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

“The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger,” Baldwin told Stephanopoulos. He added later that “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger. Never.”

Sheriff Waiting For FBI Results

Meanwhile, the police investigating the on-set accident are waiting for findings from the FBI regarding the prop gun.

According to the Sante Fe’s Sheriff's Department, the FBI examination can help shed light on the prop gun’s behavior. In particular, investigators want to know how the gun managed to fire. Did the act of pulling back the hammer, or pulling the trigger, cause the firing pin to go off? 

In particular, Sheriff Adan Mendoza disputes Baldwin’s insistence he didn’t fire the weapon. “Guns don't just go off. So whatever needs to happen to manipulate the firearm, he did that and it was in his hands,” he said.

Meanwhile, further investigation by the Sheriff’s office showed a new development. According to armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reid, she thinks someone on the set might have pulled the hammerback on the Colt .45 revolver prop gun. 

“We had the gun the whole time before that and nothing happened, and I wasn't in there, and they weren't even supposed to be pulling the hammer back,” Gutierrez Reed was quoted saying in a search warrant.

Firing Weapon Without Pulling The Trigger Is A Rare Event

Earlier, armorer Bryan Carpenter, suggested that since “Rust” had a western-theme set in the 1880s, the guns in the movie reflected the period.

As such, production might have used single-action revolvers such as Baldwin’s Pietta Long Colt 45 revolver. Carpenter said that firing a revolver like the one Baldwin reportedly held without pulling the trigger is a rare event. 

Carpenter explained that to make a revolver fire, one has to cock the hammer and pull the trigger. Once the hammer is in the cocked position, Carter said it won’t take much to pull the trigger. 

“Once you cock the hammer back on one of those old west guns, it doesn't take a lot to set that trigger off,” he told Fox News Digital. He added that these old West guns have “very light triggers.”

Mechanical Failure Can Fire The Revolver Without Pulling The Trigger

Meanwhile, film and prop historian Michael Corrie gave more light to prop guns firing san trigger pulls. Corrie told Fox News that firing a revolver without pulling the trigger would require a “mechanical failure.”

“The hammer needs to be fully locked to the rear for the weapon to function. Which necessitates manual operation of the weapon.

Barring an as yet unknown mechanical failure, this weapon did not fire itself,” he concluded. “For the hammer to travel forward at all, the trigger has to be depressed… unless some major mechanical failure takes place,” Corrie added. 

Watch the ABC News preview video showing the preview of the Alec Baldwin Exclusive: ‘The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger.'

Gun enthusiasts of the Breaking News Alert, what do you think happened here? Do you agree that guns can fire without pulling the trigger?

Let us know what you think. Share your comments in the comment section below.