‘Alec’ gun probe done DA eyes charges

The Santa Fe, NM, Sheriff’s Office completed its investigation Thursday into the fatal “Rust” shooting that left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead — and criminal charges against those involved, including Alec Baldwin, may be imminent.

“Today, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies received the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s investigative report on the ‘Rust’ movie set incident,” Heather Brewer, the DA’s spokesperson, said in an email Thursday.

“The district attorney and her team . . . will now begin a thorough review . . . to make a thoughtful, timely decision about whether to bring charges.”

Brewer couldn’t say when the DA would decide but noted that there are no laws in New Mexico that dictate how much time she has, beyond statutes of limitation.

Detectives were nearly done with the probe in August, but the investigation was stalled after Baldwin failed to turn over his phone records in a timely manner — and then handed them over to investigators on Long Island, adding an extra layer of red tape.

In an Aug. 30 letter to New Mexico’s Board of Finance, the DA signaled she was prepared to charge up to four defendants, “possibly” including Baldwin, but said she needed the full investigative report before she could determine if she’d move ahead with charges.

On Oct. 21 last year, Baldwin was rehearsing a crossdraw with a replica Pietta Colt .45 on the set of the since-abandoned Western when the gun discharged, striking Hutchins, 42, and director Joel Souza, 49.

Hutchins, a married mother of one, was pronounced dead soon after; Souza survived.

Baldwin has denied firing the gun, saying it discharged accidentally, but an FBI forensics report released in August concluded someone pulled the trigger.