Armorer on ‘Rust’ movie set found guilty of involuntary manslaughter

A New Mexico jury has found “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film’s set in October 2021. Gutierrez-Reed, who faces up to 18 months in prison, plans to appeal the decision, according to her attorney.

The incident, which also wounded director Joel Souza, occurred when actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing with a prop gun that discharged a live round. Baldwin, who has denied pulling the trigger, is set to stand trial in July, pleading not guilty to charges related to the shooting.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey highlighted the tragedy’s root in “constant, never-ending safety failures” on set. The case has drawn significant attention to on-set safety protocols and gun handling in film production.

In a separate decision, jurors found Gutierrez-Reed not guilty on a second charge of tampering with evidence. She had been accused of handing a small bag of possible narcotics to another crew member after the shooting, allegedly to avoid detection.

After the verdict, Gloria Allred, representing Hutchins’ family, told USA TODAY, Halyna’s parents and her sister are ‘satisfied’ with Gutierrez-Reed’s conviction. 

“Halyna’s parents and her sister have always wanted everyone who is responsible for Halyna’s death to be held accountable,” the emailed statement read. “We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna’s death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions.”