Rust Armorer Speaks Out About Criminal Charges: 'We Intend to Bring the Full Truth to Light'

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is speaking out after news she and Alec Baldwin will both be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 on-set death of Halyna Hutchins.

On Thursday, Jason Bowles and Todd J. Bullion, attorneys for 25-year-old 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," they added. "We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury."

Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Andrea Reeb announced the upcoming charges on Thursday, Reeb noted that "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."

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"It's that simple," the prosecutor added. "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."

The charges will be formally filed before the end of the month.

RELATED: Halyna Hutchins' Family Supports Criminal Charges Against Alec Baldwin: 'No One Is Above the Law'

TheImageDirect.com Hannah Gutierrez-Reed

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In New Mexico, involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine, according to a press release. The other involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act charge is also a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in jail and up to a $5000 fine; since a firearm was involved, this is punishable by a mandatory five years in jail.

Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas said in a statement Thursday, "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."

An attorney for assistant director David Halls, who signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, said in a statement, "Mr. Halls accepted a petty misdemeanor charge. Absent no charges at all, this is the best outcome for Mr. Halls and the case. He can now put this matter behind him and allow the focus of this tragedy to be on the shooting victims and changing the industry so this type of accident will never happen again. His charge is a petty misdemeanor. No jail time. Unsupervised probation. $500 fine. Mr. Halls denies handing a firearm to Mr. Baldwin."

Hutchins, 42, was shot and killed Oct. 21, 2021, after a prop gun held by Baldwin that turned out to contain live rounds discharged. Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the incident, and Baldwin maintained that he did not pull the trigger.

Jesse Grant/Getty; Anthony Harvey/Getty Images Alec Baldwin; Halyna Hutchins

In November, Baldwin filed a cross-complaint in the Los Angeles County Superior Court that listed Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director Halls, prop master Sarah Zachry and armorer assistant Seth Kenney as among those who "owed a duty to those on set, including Baldwin, to keep the set safe. Everyone on set, including Baldwin, expected and trusted them to do so."

"This tragedy happened because live bullets were delivered to the set and loaded into the gun, Gutierrez-Reed failed to check the bullets or the gun carefully, Halls failed to check the gun carefully and yet announced the gun was safe before handing it to Baldwin, and Zachry failed to disclose that Gutierrez-Reed had been acting recklessly off set and was a safety risk to those around her," the filing alleged at the time.