New Mexico District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has completed her investigation into the 2021 fatal shooting of the cinematographer on the set of the movie “Rust.” She announced she would be filing charges against actor-producer Alec Baldwin. 

Baldwin will be charged in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. And the film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also be charged.

Actor-Producer Baldwin allegedly fired the deadly shots. And Gutierrez-Reed was in charge of all the weapons used in the Western film production.

The coroner listed Hutchins's cause of death as a "gunshot wound of the chest." And the manner of death as an "accident."

Rust’s Director Joel Souza was wounded in the same incident that killed the cinematographer. Prosecutors said no charges will be filed against Souza.

According to New Mexico law, underlying negligence must be proved in cases of involuntary manslaughter. The charge is a fourth-degree felony. It could result in up to 18 months in jail. And a $5,000 fine. 

Actor-producer Alec Baldwin to fight charges

Baldwin has maintained he did not know there was a live round in the gun. And he has also claimed he “did not pull the trigger.” 

His attorney Luke Nikas says that Baldwin will fight the charges. And that the New Mexico prosecutors' decision to charge is "a terrible miscarriage of justice." 

Jason Bowles, attorney for Hannah Gutierrez Reed, said a jury will find his client not guilty. And that the film’s armorer has "committed no crime."

Hutchin’s family has already settled with Alex Baldwin and the Rust production released a statement that claims."It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law." 

Carmack-Altwies said that the production had already had two gun misfire accidents and it was "a really fast-and-loose set," regarding safety. and said, "nobody was doing their job."

"An actor does not get a free pass just because they are an actor. That is what is so important. We are saying here in New Mexico, that everyone is equal under the law."

"In New Mexico, we want you to come here," she said. "We want you to film movies, but we want you to do it safely. And we certainly want to get justice for anyone that is a victim... We want to get justice for Halyna Hutchins," she added.