Everything to Know About the “Rust” Shooting Case and Alec Baldwin's Upcoming Trial

Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were involved in the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins in the 2021 "Rust" shooting

Here's the status of the Rust shooting case following the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Oct. 21, 2021.

Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed have been at the center of the case, who respectively served as star/co-producer and armorer of the Western film.

Following the death of cinematographer Hutchins, who was killed by a prop gun held by Baldwin on the New Mexico set, Gutierrez Reed and Baldwin were charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in January 2023. The actor maintains that he did not pull the trigger and the armorer entered a written plea of not guilty in response to the criminal charges filed against her.

In April 2023, the criminal charges first brought against Baldwin were dropped while the charges against Gutierrez-Reed remained unchanged, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.

In January 2024, however, Baldwin was charged again in connection with the fatal Rust shooting. Indicted by a New Mexico grand jury, the actor is now charged with involuntary manslaughter (negligent use of a firearm) or alternatively, with involuntary manslaughter (without due caution or circumspection).

Gutierrez Reed, meanwhile, was recently found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a jury at the First Judicial District Courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico in March 2024. She was found liable, in part, for the fatal shooting of Hutchins and was acquitted of a separate charge of tampering with evidence.

Read on for everything to know about the case, including what happens next.

Related: Alec Baldwin Says He 'Didn't Pull the Trigger' in First Sit-Down Interview Since 'Rust' Shooting

What is the movie Rust about?

Per IMDb, the official synopsis for the movie Rust reads: "A 13-year-old boy left to fend for himself and his younger brother following their parents' deaths in 1880s Kansas goes on the run with his long-estranged grandfather after he's sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a local rancher."

Written and directed by Joel Souza, the low-budget American Western film stars Alec Baldwin as grandfather Harland Rust. Others in the cast include Travis Fimmel, Brady Noon, Frances Fisher, Jensen Ackles and Devon Werkheiser.

Baldwin is also a producer on the film and co-wrote alongside Souza.

Related: In Memory of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins: A Look Back on Her Life Through Her Own Photos

How was Alec Baldwin involved in the on-set Rust shooting?

On Oct. 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed after a prop gun held by Baldwin that turned out to contain live rounds discharged while filming on Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular movie location south of Santa Fe.

Director Souza was also wounded in the incident, and Baldwin maintains that he did not pull the trigger. The production of Rust was rife with "red flags" on set ahead of the fatal shooting, according to a crew member.

Authorities responded to an incident at the Bonanza Creek Ranch set of Rust around 1:50 p.m. local time, following 911 calls indicating "an individual had been shot on set," the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department wrote in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.

Upon further investigation, the sheriff's department learned that Hutchins and director Souza were "shot when a prop firearm was discharged" by Baldwin.

Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she died from her injuries, according to the sheriff's department. Souza was hospitalized, but his reps told Deadline on Oct. 22 that he had since been released.

Related: Alec Baldwin Shares Photo of Halyna Hutchins on Anniversary of Rust Tragedy: 'One Year Ago Today'

Why were there live bullets on set?

The aforementioned insider told PEOPLE they saw "a lot of red flags" while watching armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. (On film sets, the armorer is generally tasked with overseeing weapons.) According to the crew member, Gutierrez Reed didn't keep the weapons "safe" and "locked up" while filming.

Prior to working on Rust, Gutierrez-Reed (the 25-year-old daughter of expert Hollywood armorer Thell Reed) had just finished serving as head armorer on her first movie The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage — a gig she told the Voices of the West podcast caused her to second-guess her ability.

"I was really nervous about it at first, and I almost didn't take the job because I wasn't sure if I was ready, but doing it — it went really smoothly," she said of The Old Way job. "I think loading blanks was like the scariest thing to me because I was like, 'Oh, I don't know anything about it,' " Gutierrez-Reed said on the podcast at the time.

Related: Rust's 24-Year-Old Armorer Said She 'Almost Didn't Take' Previous Job: 'I Wasn't Sure If I Was Ready'

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Rust production managers "struggled to recruit experienced crew members" after nearly a dozen prop masters or armorers turned the jobs down.

One of those professionals included veteran prop master Neal W. Zoromski, who turned a Rust position down in late September 2021 after producers insisted on having only one person serve as an assistant prop master and armorer.

Furthermore, the Los Angeles Times reported that a half-dozen camera crew workers walked off the set of Rust to protest working conditions — including long hours, long commutes and waiting for their paycheck — in addition to a lack of following strict safety protocols, like gun inspections.

Related: Rust Movie Crew 'Didn't Feel Safe' Before Shooting Incident Involving Alec Baldwin, Says Source

What was Alec Baldwin charged with?

More than one year after the fatal on-set shooting, Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Andrea Reeb announced on Jan. 19, 2023, that Baldwin and armorer Gutierrez-Reed will both be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

No charges will be filed related to the shooting of Rust director Souza, who was injured in the incident. Assistant director David Halls signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to a press release.

"After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew," Carmack-Altwies said in a statement. "On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice."

Related: Alec Baldwin Says He Doesn't Feel Guilt Since Accidental 'Rust' Shooting, But Is 'Struggling Physically'

Reeb added, "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. It's that simple. The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set. 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."

Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, "This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds."

"We will fight these charges, and we will win," added Nikas.

Jason Bowles and Todd J. Bullion, attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed, said in a statement, "Hannah is, and has always been, very emotional and sad about this tragic accident. But she did not commit involuntary manslaughter. These charges are the result of a very flawed investigation, and an inaccurate understanding of the full facts. We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury."

On Jan. 31, D.A. Carmack-Altwie formally filed charges against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed, including two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

What was the verdict for Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed's charges?

In April 2023, it was announced that the criminal charges first brought against Baldwin were dropped.

Charges against Gutierrez-Reed, however, remained unchanged, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office. (The actor and Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were both previously charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors dropped a firearms enhancement charge against both parties in February.)

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Baldwin's attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said: "We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident."

In January 2024, Baldwin was charged again in connection with the fatal Rust shooting. Indicted by a New Mexico grand jury, the actor is now charged with involuntary manslaughter (negligent use of a firearm) or alternatively, with involuntary manslaughter (without due caution or circumspection).

With this new charge, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison, according to New Mexico law.

Gutierrez Reed, meanwhile, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a jury at the First Judicial District Courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico in March 2024. She was found liable, in part, for the fatal shooting of Hutchins and was acquitted of a separate charge of tampering with evidence.

In her closing argument, prosecutor Kari Morrissey said in part, "The astonishing lack of diligence with regard to gun safety is without question a significant cause of the death of Halyna Hutchins," per ABC News.

Defense attorney Jason Bowles said during his closing argument that Gutierrez Reed was a "convenient fall person." Plus, he said that detectives didn't conduct a thorough investigation of the October 2021 shooting.

Bowles told PEOPLE following the verdict that they will appeal.

Related: Alec Baldwin Cradles Wife Hilaria in Intimate Post After Charges Are Dropped in 'Rust' Shooting

Will the movie Rust still be made?

In October 2022, Baldwin and other Rust producers settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Hutchins' widower Matthew. Along with the settlement, the team agreed to complete the movie with Matthew now on board as an executive producer.

Production on Rust was said to resume in January 2023, under the agreement that production would be able to resume after a 15-month hiatus. Upon its controversial resume, Variety reported that it won't be filmed in New Mexico.

Baldwin resumed filming Rust at the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana in April 2023. In May 2023, the Rust wrapped filming. Baldwin announced the news on his Instagram, along with a photo of two cast members in the movie posing together as he wrote in part that the film's completion is "nothing less than a miracle."

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