Baldwin accidentally handed loaded gun before fatal shooting, search warrant says  

An assistant handed Alec Baldwin a prop gun loaded with live rounds and indicated it was safe to use just before the actor fatally shot a  colleague on the set of his new Western movie, according to a search warrant made public Friday evening.

The employee was unaware the weapon was loaded with the live rounds, according to the warrant filed in a Santa Fe, N.M., court.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot in the chest while director Joel Souza was wounded in the incident Thursday, officials said.

Baldwin made his first statement on Twitter expressing sorrow for the tragic episode and promising full cooperation with the sheriff’s department probe  

“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he tweeted. 

“My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”