A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the parking lot
 outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s offices after
being questioned on Oct. 20, 2021, about a
shooting when a prop gun misfired.

Prop gun fired by Alec Baldwin in fatal shooting contained live round

By Edward Era Barbacena

The prop gun Alec Baldwin used in the accidental shooting that killed a cinematographer on his upcoming movie “Rust” and wounded the director reportedly contained a “live round.”

A union that covers prop masters sent an email to its members Friday morning in which it said “a single live round was accidentally fired on set by the principal actor,” according to Indie Wire.

Anthony Pawluc, secretary-treasurer of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 44, wrote that the bullet struck “both the Director of Photography, Local 600 member Halnya Hutchins, and Director Joel Souza,” the site reported.

“Local 44 has confirmed that the Props, Set Decoration, Special Effects and Construction Departments were staffed by New Mexico crew members. There were no Local 44 members on the call sheet,” the email cited by Indie Wire added.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director 
Joel Souza was injured on set while filming the movie
 “Rust” in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Oct. 21, 2021.

On Thursday night, the International Cinematographers Guild said in a statement: “We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called ‘Rust’ in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set.

“The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event. This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s family,” it added.

Souza’s reps confirmed to Deadline on Friday morning that the 48-year-old filmmaker was released from Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe.

A distraught Baldwin repeatedly asked why he was given a “hot gun” — a firearm with live ammunition — after his prop weapon discharged on his New Mexico film set Thursday at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Sante Fe.

“In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun,” the actor allegedly kept saying, an eyewitness told Hollywood gossip site Showbiz 411.

The film set was sent into lockdown and production was halted immediately after the accidental double shooting, which unfolded at about 2 p.m. Thursday.

“Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

No charges were filed as of late Thursday and detectives are still interviewing witnesses.