WATCH: Alec Baldwin Demands to Know 'What Really Happened' in 'Rust' Shooting; Has Not Turned Over Phone

Joel B. PollakJanuary 9, 2022

Alec Baldwin released a video of himself Saturday demanding to know “what really happened” in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, though he has not yet turned in his mobile phone to police, who want to examine it.

Baldwin, 63, was holding a prop gun during a rehearsal and cocked it before it discharged on the set of his film, Rust, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Police are still investigating the incident, which Baldwin says was an accident.

On Saturday, the actor filmed himself behind the wheel of a parked car and released the video on his Instagram account, insisting that he was cooperating with police. “Any suggestion that I am not complying with requests or orders or demands or search warrants about my phone — that’s bullshit, that’s a lie.”

Alec Baldwin says the only way to honor Halyna Hutchins is to find out “the truth”. Baldwin said HE is “demanding” the sheriff investigate to find out “what really happened.” pic.twitter.com/E0IJ0WI3jF

— Emily Miller (@emilymiller) January 8, 2022

“This is a process, where one state makes the request of another state.”

The Los Angeles Times reported on Friday that law enforcement authorities in New Mexico, where the shooting took place, have asked for help from authorities in New York, where Baldwin has a residence, in retrieving his mobile phone.

The Times noted:

Santa Fe County Magistrate Judge David Segura on Dec. 16 authorized a search warrant allowing local law enforcement to search Baldwin’s iPhonefor evidence that may prove valuable to their investigation into the Oct. 21fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the low-budget western film “Rust.”

But so far that hasn’t happened, officials said this week.

“The Sheriff’s Office does not have physical possession of the phone,” Santa Fe County Sheriff’s spokesman Juan Rios said Friday afternoon. “The phone is in New York with Mr. Baldwin.”

…

It is unclear why the veteran actor and star of “Rust” has not voluntarily turned over his phone. Earlier in the investigation, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s investigators retrieved cellphones belonging to Gutierrez Reed and Halls. Both individuals voluntarily turned over their phones to sheriff’s investigators without a search warrant, according to their respective attorneys.

Baldwin said that he was going to comply with law enforcement “1000%,” adding that he was “perfectly fine with that,” and blaming “right-wing” media for the idea that he was trying to avoid an investigation. “Consider the source,” he said.

He took particular issue with a New York Post cover that included the headline: “Why won’t Alec help? Blocking phone records in movie-slay probe,” on the day after the death of groundbreaking black actor Sidney Poitier, 94.

Baldwin added: “The best way — the only way — we can honor the death of Halyna Hutchins is to find out the truth. That’s what I’m working toward, insisting on, demanding, that the organizations involved in this investigation do everything in their power, everything in their power, to find out what really happened. That’s all that matters. … And any suggestion that we’re not complying — myself, and any lawyers I’m working with, what have you — is a lie, is a lie.”

He said he had “no worries,” regardless of what “right-wing rag sheets” might say.

He proudly held up a packet of Splenda sweetener, on which a fan had written a message of support.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.