Movies - TV
Alec Baldwin Facing Involuntary Manslaughter Charges Over Rust Shooting
By DANIELLE RYAN
Authorities in New Mexico report that Alec Baldwin will face criminal charges for the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.” The actor used a prop gun that was supposed to be loaded with blanks but instead had live rounds when it went off during a rehearsal, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, will both be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, the second of which could carry a mandatory five-year prison sentence due to using a firearm. Despite the ongoing criminal prosecution, “Rust” was set to go back into production this month, though the criminal charges will likely impact work on the film.
The problematic stories on the “Rust” set before the incident are likely to be brought up during prosecution, including allegations of the prop guns being used for target practice by crew members prior to filming and reports of three other misfires. Baldwin denies pulling the trigger on the weapon, but an FBI forensic report shows that the gun couldn’t be fired otherwise.