The on-set armorer for the Western movie Rust has spoken out for the first time since Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal.
Authorities are investigating the deadly incident, which saw the 63-year-old actor unintentionally fire a prop gun - which contained live ammunition - while rehearsing for a scene in which he pointed a gun at the camera.
Hutchins lost her life and the film's director, Joel Souza, sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the shooting.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a 24-year-old armorer, was in charge of the weapons on set and had set up the gun along with two others, according to an affidavit from the Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office, per Sky News.
Following intense media scrutiny, a statement has been released on her behalf by her attorney Jason Bowles. In it, Gutierrez-Reed's attorney shared that she is "devastated and completely beside herself over the events that transpired".
The statement read: "Hannah would like to extend her deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Halyna. She was an inspirational woman in film who Hannah looked up to. She also offers her thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery to Joel."
Bowles went on to say that Gutierrez-Reed wished to "address some untruths" which have "falsely portrayed and slandered" her role in the ordeal.
The statement continued: "Safety is Hannah's number one priority on set. Ultimately this set would never have been compromised if live ammo were not introduced. Hannah has no idea where the live rounds came from.
"Hannah and the prop master gained control over the guns and she never witnessed anyone shoot live rounds with these guns and nor would she permit that.
"They were locked up every night and at lunch and there's no way a single one of them was unaccounted for or being shot by crew members. Hannah still, to this day, has never had an accidental discharge."
It has been reported in the wake of the on-set shooting that Gutierrez-Reed had said she wasn't sure if she was ready for the role of head armorer on Nicolas Cage's movie The Old Way.
She was quoted as saying by numerous publications including Sky News: "I almost didn't take the job because I wasn't sure if I was ready, but doing it, it went really smoothly."