A Santa Fe district attorney said on Thursday that Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be prosecuted with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
Mary Carmack-Altwies stated that she has concluded that there is sufficient evidence to press criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew after a comprehensive study of the facts and the statutes of the state of New Mexico, Mary Carmack-Altwies stated.
No one is above the law under her watch, and everybody deserves justice. Both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are expected to face two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
According to officials, assistant director David Halls entered into a plea deal. As part of the plea bargain, the defendant halls consented to plead guilty to the allegation of careless use of a dangerous weapon and will serve six months of probation.
Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer, died on October 21, 2021, after being shot during the preparation for a scene on the set of the western film Rust.
When the gun went off, Baldwin was holding it and aiming it towards Hutchins. She died as a result of her injuries, and director Joel Souza was also hurt.
The film’s production was suspended, and an inquiry was launched.
While authorities investigated what transpired, Baldwin went out to clear his name. First, he spoke with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, insisting that he was not accountable for Hutchins’ death.
He also sued those engaged in the management of what he thought was a safe gun.
Authorities uncovered 500 rounds of ammo in the months following the incident. They were a combination of blanks, fake rounds, and what seemed to be live bullets.
Officials also revealed evidence detailing the minutes after Hutchins was shot.
Hutchins’ family resolved a wrongful death case with Baldwin and others involved in the film in October 2022.
He has no interest in recriminations or apportioning blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin), Matthew Hutchins remarked at the time. They all feel Halyna’s death was a tragic accident. He is pleased that the producers and the entertainment industry have banded together to honor Halyna’s final effort.
BREAKING: Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 fatal shooting on the New Mexico set of the film "Rust," officials say. @LinseyDavis has the latest. https://t.co/TugbcNzcgE pic.twitter.com/VmGiDlrbqn
— ABC News (@ABC) January 19, 2023
This should not have occurred. I’m still perplexed as to why there were live rounds on the film set.
