What Cleaning Up the Alec Baldwin Shooting Was Like

While prop gun malfunctions are thankfully rare, the tragic shooting of Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza by Alec Baldwin on the set of Rust rightfully generated a thorough investigation and a significant amount of media attention.

The movie was supposed to be shot within a month amid work strikes and union unrest concerning the working conditions in the film industry, some conditions which were disputed with the incident. Despite a thorough investigation, it’s not entirely clear what happened on the set. What is known is that on October 21st, 2021, Alec Baldwin fired a single shot that fatally injured Rust’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and director Jorel Souza, effectively halting the film’s production. On January 19, 2023, Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and assistant director David Halls plead guilty to the negligent use of a deadly weapon.

The National Crime Scene Cleanup Association (NCSCA) was called to clean the biohazard scene after it was cleared by state and federal authorities. NCSCA is a crime scene cleanup company/group that trains and certifies crime scene cleaners through accredited federal and state governmental agencies. This was one of the most memorable jobs in my ten years of cleaning crime scenes. Whenever asked this, the three most memorable parts were:

1. The roses with trace amounts of blood on and around them.
2. The paparazzi confusing me for Alec Baldwin
3. The FBI waiting outside the church door

The Roses

There’s no doubt the set of Rust was chilling and tragic, although the scene was remarkably different from the average scene we’re called for. We often respond to homicide calls that have mass amounts of blood, feces, urine, knee-high hoarding piles, or methamphetamine residue. A typical homicide or suicide exposes such a large amount of blood and bodily fluids that it coats most of the floor, walls, and even ceilings. These crime scenes expose so much bodily fluid that it seeps into the building’s structure, requiring a lot of demolition and restoration to the sheetrock and/or ceiling paneling.

The set of Rust was memorable in that there was a bouquet of roses laid on top of an area of bodily fluids that took up maybe four feet. Small speckles of dried blood intertwined petals of roses that had fallen off the bouquet.

Biohazards on The Set of Rust (2021) (Use permitted only with link back to CrimeSceneCleanup.com)

The Paparazzi Confused Me For Alec Baldwin

Crime Scene Cleaners on the Set of Rust (2021) (Use permitted only with link back to CrimeSceneCleanup.com)

OSHA regulation 1910.1030(d)(3) requires crime scene cleaners to wear the appropriate level of personal protection equipment (PPE) when exposed to bloodborne pathogens (BBP). Not sure if it was the protective gown and mask, or the fact I had let my facial hair grow out that Fall, that caused the paparazzi to confuse me with Alec Baldwin. All I know is that being yelled at with questions about the shooting and having photos taken of me while I was working to remove the biohazards from the set is a day I’ll never forget.

The FBI Waiting Outside the Church Door

In any ordinary circumstance, being confused with a famous actor or celebrity can be flattering. However, you don’t want to be confused with the one that’s currently being investigated for manslaughter charges. I’ll never forget the feeling of suspense and unease as I worked alongside my crew to condition and clean the floor from dried-up blood–in full PPE–while the FBI waited right outside the door.

Officially Seen It All

Part of me wishes I could say I’ve seen it all–when in reality, every time I say that another scene happens that takes the cake. All I can say is by the end of the day, I’m happy to have made a difference. That’s what NCSC is here for–making a difference in the lives of others, no matter the case.

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Interested in true crime? Read about the other famous murders that changed America.