Alec Baldwin To Be Hit With Criminal Charges For ‘Rust’ Shooting

The Hollywood star Alec Baldwin is set to be charged with involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 shooting that occurred on the set of his movie Rust, claiming the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. 

Baldwin To Be Hit With Involuntary Manslaughter Charges

Daily Mail reported that the charges were announced on Thursday morning by New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and Rust Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb, who said that both Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be charged.

Assistant director Dave Halls has already pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, and he’s been given a suspended sentence and six months of probation, according to CNBC.

If convicted, both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed face a maximum of 18 months in prison. 

“If any one of these three people—Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls—had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today,” Reeb said. “It’s that simple.”

“The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the ‘Rust’ film set,” she added. “In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.”

District Attorney Speaks Out

Prosecutors will officially file the charges by the end of January.

“There is a very clear process for pursuing justice in this case,” Carmack-Altwies stated. “We are committed to upholding the integrity of that process to ensure equal justice under the law.”

Carmack-Alties also explained why her office has decided to pursue criminal charges while also acknowledging that the shooting was accidental. 

“Just because it is an accident doesn’t mean that it’s not criminal,” Carmack-Altwies told CNN. “Our involuntary manslaughter statute covers unintentional killings, unintentional homicides.”

“Unintentional means they didn’t mean to do it, they didn’t have the intent to kill, but it happened anyway — and it happened because of more than mere negligence, because they didn’t exercise due caution or circumspection, and that’s what happened here,” she continued. 

Related: Alec Baldwin Tells Chris Cuomo The Media Is Out To Get Him – Claims He’s Innocent In ‘Rust’ Shooting

Rust Shooting

It was Baldwin who fired the gun that killed Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Western-themed movie Rust in October of 2021. Though Baldwin has long claimed that he didn’t pull the gun’s trigger, it has since been confirmed through forensic FBI analysis that he in fact did do just that.

Gutierrez-Reed was in charge of loading weapons and making sure that they were not live, and it was Halls who handed the gun to Baldwin for the scene that resulted in Hutchins’ death.

The cinematographer’s widower Matthew sued Baldwin and the other producers of Rust last year for “reckless behavior and cost-cutting,” but the lawsuit was settled for a sum that has not been disclosed to the public. Hutchins’ family has already issued a statement today expressing thanks for these charges being filed. 

“It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law,” their attorney Brian Panish said. “We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”

Related: ‘Rust’ Cinematographer’s Widower Slams Sheriff For Releasing Footage Of Alec Baldwin After Shooting

Baldwin’s Wife Spotted

At the time of this writing, Baldwin has yet to respond to the charges. His wife Hilaria, who is the mother of seven of his eight children, was seen taking her children to school in New York City this morning just before the charges were announced. She ignored reporters with The New York Post when they asked her how she thought this day would go as she returned home at 9:16am.

https://twitter.com/LatLag/status/1489743246586630146

Baldwin has long been known for both his erratic behavior and his radical liberal activism. He enjoyed negatively portraying Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live” during his presidency, and frequently lectured the public about how evil the former president and conservatives in general are.

We applaud these prosecutors for having the guts to go after Baldwin. Like many Hollywood liberal elites, Baldwin thought he was above the law, but he’s about to learn the hard way that he isn’t at all.