Alec Baldwin had been rehearsing for a scene that involved pointing a gun at the camera in the upcoming Western movie Rust when he fired the gun that killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Reuters reports.
The scene called for the actor, 63, to point the prop gun at the camera before pulling the trigger, director Joel Souza revealed in an affidavit released on October 24.
The deadly incident took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last Thursday. Hutchins died from her wounds and Souza sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The affidavit read: "Joel stated that they had Alec sitting in a pew in a church building setting, and he was practicing a cross draw. Joel said he was looking over the shoulder of [Hutchins] when he heard what sounded like a whip and then a loud pop."
As per the legal document, Hutchins was shot in the chest.
The affidavit continued: "Joel then vaguely remembers [Hutchins] complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection. Joel also said [Hutchins] began to stumble backwards and she was assisted to the ground."
The affidavit also specifies that when Baldwin was handed the prop weapon by an assistant director, he was told it was a "cold gun", that is, a gun that had not been loaded with live rounds.
Following the harrowing ordeal, a search warrant was issued, allowing police to investigate the set.
A judge has asked that all equipment be searched for evidence, The New York Times reported.
"Detectives entered the movie set today and continue to interview potential witnesses," Juan Rios, spokesperson for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's office, told the paper. "Apparently there were quite a few people at the scene of what happened."
Rios said in a statement to Insider: "I can confirm that investigators executed a search warrant."
Hutchins is survived by her husband, Matt, and their nine-year-old son Andros.
Taking to Twitter over the weekend, Matt paid tribute to his late wife, writing: "Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words.
"Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family's privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life."