An FBI report has said Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger on the Rust set, which killed Halyna Hutchins.

On October 21, Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for his new Western film, Rust, that involved his character shooting a gun on set. When the actor allegedly fired the prop gun, he struck two people: Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza. 

Souza was hit in the shoulder, wounded but okay, whereas Halyna Hutchins  the film's director of photography, was shot in the chest and later died. 

It sparked a number of investigations - most of which remain ongoing - along with a lawsuit against Baldwin and the producers behind the film. 

Soon after the news of Hutchins' death became public, a wider conversation around the need for better on-set conditions for crew members occurred as well. Among complaints was the allegation that Baldwin's stunt double accidentally fired two rounds from a prop firearm after being told it was 'cold,' an industry term meaning a weapon is not loaded with ammunition, including blanks.

A colleague was so alarmed by the misfires that he sent a text message to the unit production manager saying "we've now had three accidental discharges. This is super unsafe," according to a copy of the message seen by the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Times also reported that union members walked off the set of Rust hours before the fatal accident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While they were packing up, non-unionised crew turned up to keep production going.

The Rust film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch. Image: AAP. Hutchins was then shot when actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun, which he had been told was a 'cold gun' that did not contain ammunition. Hutchins was hit in the chest, and director Joel Souza in the shoulder. The filming of Rust was then suspended indefinitely, with the set being officially shut down.

In December 2021, two months after the event, Baldwin spoke with ABC News television host, George Stephanopoulos about his side of the story. 

Perhaps the biggest revelation from the interview was that Baldwin denied reports that he had pulled the trigger. 

He said he was holding an antique revolver during a dress rehearsal for Rust, but he did not pull the trigger - rather it discharged. According to an affidavit, the assistant director who handed Baldwin the gun "did not know live rounds were in the prop-gun".

"The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger," he said to Stephanopoulos. "I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never."

In a news conference, investigators confirmed that a lead projectile was fired from the revolver. They also found around 500 rounds of ammunition on set including blanks, dummy rounds, and what they suspect to be live ammunition. The sheriff declined to comment on how the live ammunition ended up on a film set.

Watch part of Baldwin's ABC News interview. Story continues below.

When asked by Stephanopoulos, why and how someone would put a live bullet in the prop gun, Baldwin replied: "I have no idea."

Baldwin shared he had no reason to suspect a live bullet would be in the prop gun, given that is against protocol. 

"I think back to what could I have done. She [Halyna] was someone who was loved by everyone who worked with [her] and liked by everyone who worked with [her], and admired," Baldwin said through tears. "I mean, even now I find it hard to believe that [she's gone]. It doesn't seem real to me."

This week, there's been a development in the case.

ABC News obtained a copy of the FBI's forensic report, which said the gun used on the Rust set could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled. This goes against what Baldwin has previously said about not pulling the trigger.

The forensic report is part of a criminal investigation into the on-set shooting. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the homicide investigation, received the report and other FBI documents related to the shooting in early August 2022.

Detectives are awaiting phone records from Baldwin as part of their investigation, the sheriff's office said.

Listen to The Quicky: Alec Baldwin and the “prop” gun: how dangerous is a movie set? Story continues after audio.

Hutchins' death has been classified as an accident, a postmortem report obtained by ABC News shows.

The FBI forensic report was part of a wider investigation to see if any criminal charges can be brought.

Bodycam footage released in April 2022 by the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office shows Baldwin holding the gun before the incident, and Hutchins and Souza on the ground surrounded by first responders after they were shot. The video also shows Baldwin telling two officers that he did not pull the trigger, and doesn't know who put a live round in the weapon.

So far, Baldwin has not commented on the new development.

Reflecting on what has occurred, Baldwin said to ABC News: "It's also been very tough. Matthew [Halyna's husband] on behalf of their son filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Something happened here that resulted in his wife's death - he's entitled to something. I would be stunned if Matthew did not file a suit against the production. It remains to be seen which producers have the responsibility."

Baldwin also said that he went to Halyna's memorial service with Matthew.

This article was originally published on November 8, 2021, and was updated with new information on August 14, 2022.

Feature Image: ABC News/Getty.