Alec Baldwin’s Rust shooting scandal has seen a major update, as the armorer implicated in the case has been released from jail. In October 2021, while filming the Western movie Rust in New Mexico, Baldwin was holding a prop revolver that went off and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin, who strenuously denied pulling the trigger, faced a charge of involuntary manslaughter that was ultimately dismissed by the judge. However the armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of the same crime and sentenced to the maximum 18 months in prison beginning last March. Now, 14 months into her time behind bars, she has been released early for good behavior after completing a drug program in custody, sources told TMZ.
Although she is no longer in jail, she will still reportedly have to wait out a year of parole in Bullhead, Arizona8 and is barred from owning weapons. Additionally, she will be required to undergo a mental health review and go along with all of the recommendations that result from the assessment. She is also not allowed to contact any of Halyna Hutchins’ family, such as her widower Matthew Hutchins, who gained a producer credit on Rust as part of a wrongful death settlement in the aftermath of the shooting. Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a jury determined that she was reckless in her on-set handling of the ammunition. The gun that Baldwin fired was supposed to be loaded with blanks rather than the real bullets that turned out to have been inside. Rust ultimately had its world premiere at a film festival in Poland last September before opening in the United States earlier this month to a polarized critical response. Meanwhile, this January, Baldwin filed a civil lawsuit, accusing several people in the Santa Fe, New Mexico District Attorney’s office of malicious prosecution and civil rights violations after he was charged over the shooting. Baldwin claimed he had pulled back the hammer of the revolver, not the trigger, but the gun fired anyway. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the incident.
In the court filing, The Departed star and his legal team accused prosecutors of trying to ‘scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law,’ according to the Associate Press. They also accused prosecutors and investigators of targeting the star for professional or political gain. Baldwin is seeking unspecified punitive damages, compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and interest. The case against Baldwin was dismissed in 2024 after it was discovered the prosecution had withheld evidence in the case, and did not share information about or access to live ammunition brought in by a retired police officer who said it could be related to the Hutchins killing. The ammunition was filed under a separate case number and Baldwin’s legal team was not notified. After the dismissal of Baldwin’s case, weapons supervisor Gutierrez-Reed moved to have her conviction dismissed or to receive a new trial.
On October 21, 2021, the film set of Rust turned into a crime scene. Alec Baldwin, a seasoned actor and producer of the Western-themed film, discharged a prop gun during rehearsal. The shot struck and tragically killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. This wasn’t just another Hollywood accident—it was a seismic event that sparked outrage, confusion, and grief. But now, years later, the legal drama has reignited with a twist no one saw coming. Halyna Hutchins was more than just a crew member. She was a rising star in cinematography, admired for her eye, passion, and resilience. Her death sent shockwaves through the film industry and created a loud call for change.
