Prison term served by film ammunition handler in tragic "Rust" set shooting incident
Former 'Rust' Movie Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Released from Prison
After serving 13 to 14 months of an 18-month sentence, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the convicted movie armorer in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western movie "Rust," was granted parole and released from a New Mexico prison on Friday.
According to prison records, Gutierrez-Reed, originating from Bullhead City, Arizona, returned home under parole conditions related to her conviction of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins' death in 2021. Additionally, she is under court-mandated probation for a separate charge of unlawfully carrying a gun into a licensed liquor establishment.
The tragic incident occurred during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe when Baldwin, the lead actor and coproducer for "Rust," pointed a gun at Hutchins, causing a revolver to discharge, resulting in Hutchins' death and the wounding of director Joel Souza.
In March 2024, a jury convicted Gutierrez-Reed of involuntary manslaughter. However, she was acquitted of allegations that she tampered with evidence during the "Rust" investigation. Her appeal of the conviction is currently pending in a higher court.
Authorities charged Baldwin with an involuntary manslaughter charge, which was later dismissed at trial last year due to alleged evidence withholding by police and prosecutors from the defense.
The filming of "Rust" concluded in Montana, and the Western movie was recently released in theaters in May 2025. Several ongoing civil lawsuits remain unresolved, including those filed by Hutchins' family members against Baldwin and the film's producers, highlighting concerns about film set safety, particularly on low-budget productions like "Rust."
After her release from prison in New Mexico, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the former movie armorer of the "Rust" film, returned home to Bullhead City, Arizona. Gutierrez-Reed's conviction of involuntary manslaughter in the case of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death continues to be debated, as her appeal is currently under review in a higher court. The tragic incident involving "Rust" has raised questions about safety measures in the entertainment industry, particularly in low-budget productions, and has been featured in general news as well as crime-and-justice segments. Meanwhile, news channels in Seattle and movies-and-TV coverage have highlighted the continuation of several civil lawsuits, including those filed by Hutchins' family members against celebrities like Alec Baldwin and the film's producers. The "Rust" film, which was shot in Montana, was recently released in theaters across the country, fostering attention from both the public and the media, transforming it into a topic of general discussion and crucial entertainment debate.
