Alec Baldwin Seemed 'Totally Carefree' Talking About His Kids One Day Before Charges Revealed: Source

A day before it was announced Alec Baldwin will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 on-set death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the actor appeared "totally carefree and in a great mood" in New York City, a source tells PEOPLE.

On Wednesday, a source who saw Baldwin, 64, tells PEOPLE that he appeared "very lighthearted" in Brooklyn.

"He was standing outside his local coffee shop chit-chatting with the staff," the source says. "He seemed totally carefree and in a great mood. It was all very lighthearted."

"He was talking about the family's recent ski trip and was bragging that [his daughter] Carmen in particular has been skiing so well," the source adds to PEOPLE, noting that Baldwin and his family are "fixtures in the neighborhood."

PEOPLE reached out to Baldwin's rep for comment.

On Thursday, Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Andrea Reeb announced that Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will both be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. After the announcement Thursday, the actor's attorney called the charges a "terrible miscarriage of justice" in a statement.

RELATED: Alec Baldwin Involuntary Manslaughter Charge Explained: Why Actor Was Charged in Rust Shooting

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

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"This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice," Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel said in the statement. "Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds."

"We will fight these charges, and we will win," the attorney concluded.

In addition to the upcoming charges announced against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed on Thursday, Rust assistant director David Halls signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to a press release.

"After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew," Carmack-Altwies said in a statement. "On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice."

Jae C Hong/AP/Shutterstock Rust set

RELATED: Rust Armorer Speaks Out About Criminal Charges: 'We Intend to Bring the Full Truth to Light'

Reeb added, "If any one of these three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls — had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It's that simple. The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don't take our state's commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously."

Hutchins, 42, was shot and killed Oct. 21, 2021, after a prop gun held by Baldwin that turned out to contain live rounds discharged. Director Joel Souza, 49, was also wounded in the incident, and Baldwin maintains that he did not pull the trigger. (No charges were made in Souza's shooting.)