During a rehearsal on a US film set, actor Alec Baldwin was drawing a gun across his body and pointing it at a camera when it fired with catastrophic effects, according to lawsuit filings.

The affidavit revealed further information on Thursday’s accidental shooting in New Mexico, which killed 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

Affidavits comprising comments from Souza and camera operator Reid Russell have thrown more light on what occurred.

According to The New York Times, the film’s director, Joel Souza, recalls what “sounded like a whip and then loud pop.”

Baldwin, according to the statement, was “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 loud pop.”

Documents show that Hutchins was shot in the chest.

“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 said.

Mr Souza added that on Thursday, after prepping for the scene on a church set, there was a lunch break, and the team was shuttled away for meals. He stated that they returned to the set after lunch, but he was “not sure if the firearm was checked again.”

Russell, who was standing next to Hutchins at the time of the shooting, told authorities she couldn’t feel her legs.

According to the affidavit, Baldwin was handed the prop gun by an assistant director who said “cold gun,” as reported by the New York Times and the Associated Press. A gun that is not loaded with any ammo, not even blank rounds, is referred to by this phrase. According to authorities, a search warrant was granted in connection with the fatal shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The affidavit stated that the assistant director who gave Baldwin the loaded gun “did not know live rounds were in the prop-gun.”

When asked how Baldwin handled weapons on set, Russell claimed the actor was very cautious, describing an incident when the star made sure a minor actor was not near him when a pistol was discharged.

According to The Times, a court ordered that all devices be inspected for evidence.

“Detectives entered the movie set today and continue to interview potential witnesses,” said Juan Rios, a representative for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office, according to The New York Times. “Apparently there were quite a few people at the scene of what happened.”

“I can confirm that investigators executed a search warrant,” Rios told Insider.

On Saturday, a distressed Baldwin, 63, was spotted outside a Santa Fe hotel embracing and conversing with Matt Hutchins, Halyna Hutchins’ husband, and their nine-year-old son.

Mr Hutchins described his wife’s death “an enormous loss” in a statement delivered at a candlelight tribute on Saturday.