Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in Deadly ‘Rust’ Shooting
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File
Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 shooting on the set of the film Rust that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced the charges Thursday morning.
Carmack-Altwies released a statement on the ruling, saying, “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. On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”
The Wall Street Journal scooped the announcement by several minutes, reporting that Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed will face involuntary manslaughter charges.
The film’s armorer overseeing weapons, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, is also expected to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the incident, according to the person. The film’s first assistant director, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to the person.
The incident took place on October 21, 2021 on the films set location in New Mexico. Baldwin was practicing drawing his weapon for a scene, a Colt .45 revolver, when the gun suddenly went off killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
At the time, according to a search warrant affidavit, the film crew believed the gun to be “cold,” containing no live ammunition.
According to Variety, both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed “will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, which each carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail. They also face an enhancement for use of a firearm which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.”
Halls will serve six months probation after pleading guilty and serve no jail time, per Variety.
Back in November 2022, Baldwin filed a lawsuit against the films armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and other crew members for negligence in handing him a loaded weapon.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit alleged that “Hannah Gutierrez-Reed ‘failed to check the bullets or the gun carefully;’ assistant director David Halls ‘failed to check the gun carefully and yet announced the gun was safe before handing it to Baldwin;’ and prop master Sarah Zachry ‘failed to disclose that Gutierrez-Reed had been acting recklessly off set and was a safety risk to those around her.'”
