Armorer responsible for fatal 'Rust' set shooting sentenced to prison release
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film armorer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of "Rust," has been released from prison after serving approximately 18 months of her sentence.
Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for firearms used on the set, was released from Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants, New Mexico, on May 23, 2023. She was released in the Arizona region near the Nevada and California borders, under dual supervision by probation and parole authorities, according to Brittany Roembach, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Corrections Department.
Gutierrez-Reed will be on parole for a year, said Roembach. Prior to her release, she served her sentence in full, having been sentenced to the maximum penalty of 18 months in prison.
In March 2024, a New Mexico jury found Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter and not guilty of tampering with evidence. She was 26 at the time. Involuntary manslaughter is not always considered a "serious violent offense," but the circumstances surrounding Gutierrez-Reed's case led to the requirement that she serve at least 85% of her sentence, said Roembach.
Good behavior, completion of a residential addiction program, and pre-sentence credit helped reduce Gutierrez-Reed's time served. Women in New Mexico state prisons on average serve about 60% of their sentences, according to the state's sentencing commission.
The fatal shooting occurred while Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for the Western at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. In the incident, a prop revolver fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Gutierrez-Reed, who pleaded not guilty, was fighting the case in court and at times wept as special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey argued that she was negligent, careless, and thoughtless. Joel Souza, who was also injured during the incident, spoke about failures in the handling and storage of firearms and blanks on set.
This marks the end of Gutierrez-Reed's legal proceedings, as Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter twice, but the charges were dropped in April 2023 and dismissed with prejudice in a subsequent case, citing hidden evidence that may have been linked to the shooting. Baldwin had pleaded not guilty and cried in court upon the dismissal of the case.
The Western drama, which stars and was produced by Baldwin, was released earlier this month, more than four years after the fatal shooting halted production. Gutierrez-Reed, the daughter of Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, has not yet commented publicly on her release.
Upon her release from Western New Mexico Correctional Facility, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film armorer convicted in the 2021 "Rust" set shooting, will now be under dual supervision by probation and parole authorities. In the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice, Gutierrez-Reed, who served her 18-month sentence in full, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and was released on May 23, 2023. Entwined with this news, the entertainment industry closely follows the case, with celebrities voicing their opinions on the matter.
