Alec Baldwin thanks supporters following “Rust” shooting in holiday message: “I’m very grateful”

Alec Baldwin posted a holiday message thanking people for the support he has received in the wake of the fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust” in October.

“I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of the people who sent me such kind words and, you know, best wishes and strength and hope and prayers and so forth and thoughts and lots of encouragement and lots of really, really great sentiments from so many people,” he said in a video posted to Instagram on Saturday.

Baldwin said he has received “hundreds” of messages from friends, family and colleagues since the shooting.

“I wanted to say thank you to all the people who sent me good wishes and sent me support,” he said. “I’m very grateful for that.”

On October 21, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded after Baldwin allegedly discharged a prop firearm on the set of the film “Rust,” which Baldwin is starring in and co-producing. The actor has insisted that he had no idea that there was a live round in the gun, and has said he didn’t realize it had killed and injured people until hours after the incident.

As part of the investigation into thes shooting, a New Mexico judge earlier this month signed a search warrant which authorized officials to look through Baldwin’s phone. Baldwin also said earlier this month that, although the incident is still under investigation, it is “overwhelmingly likely that it was an accident” and that he won’t be charged.

In the video posted Saturday, Baldwin said the situation has been “very difficult” and that he feels “very awkward.”

“I’m looking forward to some aspects of this being behind me,” he said. “Of course, for everyone who is involved in this, it’s never going to be behind us because somebody died so tragically. I never lose sight about that. Not a day goes by I don’t think about that.”