Warrant Issued for Alec Baldwin’s Cell Phone in Connection with “Rust” Shooting; suspected There Are “Key Conversations” on Device

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You would think Alec Baldwin who has been very outspoken about responsibility for firearm related deaths would exercise the same caution while on set himself with a gun. On top of this, he is also a producer so a lot of responsibility was not taken.
While Baldwin has been cooperating with detectives, Rust producer lawyers refused to hand over the requested phone without an explicit warrant, which detectives now have. According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office, it is suspected that there are “key conversations” contained on Baldwin’s iPhone. File photo: Lev Radin, Shutter Stock, licensed.

SANTA FE, NM – Thursday, authorities issued a search warrant for Alec Baldwin’s iPhone as part of their ongoing investigation into the shooting death of the cinematographer on the set of the Hollywood actor’s movie “Rust” in October.

According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office, it is suspected that there are “key conversations” contained on Baldwin’s iPhone that are related to the death of Halyna Hutchins, 42 – in addition to the wounding of the film’s director, Joel Souza, 48 – when a prop pistol that the actor was holding on-set allegedly “misfired” and discharged a projectile.

Both Hutchins Souza were struck; Hutchins died from her injuries while being rushed to the hospital, reports say, while Souza was treated and was able to be released. Previously, investigators had asked Baldwin, 63, for his iPhone, but he refused, telling them they would need to get a warrant for it, according to court documents.

Authorities had discovered information about the movie’s production on a phone belonging to Hutchins dating back to July 14, and officials have stated that “gathering information prior to the film start date of Rust is essential for a full investigation.”

According to the search warrant affidavit, Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed – the film’s armorer, who was responsible for handling firearms on the film’s set – had reportedly emailed one another about what kind of pistol to use when filming the fateful scene; Baldwin is said to have chosen a brown-handled, period western-style Colt, having wanted a “bigger gun.”

Gutierrez-Reed told authorities that she had inspected the “misfired” gun after the deadly discharge, the affidavit said, noting that the round that had been fired had been a live round; the remaining rounds in the pistol’s chambers were all “dummy” rounds, with Gutierrez-Reed saying that she didn’t believe that “anyone on the film set would be that malicious” to bring live ammo onto the set.

In an interview earlier in December with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin claimed that he didn’t pull the trigger on the gun when it went off in his hand, nor was he responsible for loading a live round into it.

“Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property,” Baldwin said. “Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”

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