Alec Baldwin latest news: Actor to continue filming Rust after involuntary manslaughter charges

On Thursday (19 January), the family of Halyna Hutchins released a statement in response to the news that Alec Baldwin, among others would be charged with involuntary manslaughter for her death.

Hutchins, 42, was shot by Mr Baldwin, who was starring in and producing the movie, during a rehearsal inside a church on the set on 21 October 2021.

In a message delivered through lawyer Brian Panish, the family thanked the Santa Fe sheriff and the District Attorney “for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life”.

They later went on to state that the announcement is a “comfort for the family”.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie has the full story:

“It is entirely understandable for the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins to welcome the charges brought against Alec Baldwin,” Andrew Buncombe writes for The Independent.

But America’s real Wild West is not film sets of westerns. It is our schools, streets, shops, and places of worship.

Rust production’s attorney Melina Spadone told CNN on Friday that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition,” just a day after New Mexico prosecutors announced charges against three of the movie’s original crew.

The Independent has the story:

The father of Sarah Jones, a camerawoman who was killed on the set of the 2014 film Midnight Rider, speaks to The Independent’s Bevan Hurley.

Richard Jones and his wife Elizabeth formed the Safety for Sarah non-profit to educate young filmmakers on the importance of following correct protocols on set, with the mantra: “Never forget, never again.”

Mr Jones told The Independent that the shooting of Halyna Hutchins had resurfaced the pain he felt after his daughter’s death.

“There needs to be accountability for this tragedy, and I’m glad to see that work is being done to hold people accountable,” he told The Independent.

“It’s clear, as in the death of my daughter Sarah, there’s a chain of events that occurred. If any one of those professionals had done their job properly, it would have prevented this tragedy.”

In 2021, a gun being used as a prop by actor Alec Baldwin went off on the set of Rust, killing the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding its director Joel Souza.

Ever since then, the authorities have been investigating to determine how a live round got into the gun that the 64-year-old actor was using, why crew members who inspected it on the set failed to notice it, and why the gun got fired.

The actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting.

In light of recent news that he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case, this is everything Alec Baldwin has said about the incident:

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is the armourer who is also facing charges of involuntary manslaughter over the October 2021 fatal Rust shooting.

As the head armourer on the film set, Gutierrez-Reed’s job was to “set up” the guns. She was the crew member who placed the firearm on the cart that discharged after Baldwin picked it up, firing the bullet that fatally shot Halyna Hutchins.

The 24-year-old is the daughter of Hollywood armourer Thell Reed. Reed is well-known in the industry for having taught Brad Pitt and Val Kilmer “realistic gun handling”. He also worked on Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 movie Django Unchained as the quick draw expert.

Reed reportedly trained Guiterrez-Reed, who revealed on a recent episode of the Voices of the West podcast, that Rust was only her second film set acting as lead armourer. She recently wrapped on her first movie set –The Old Way (2023) starring Nicolas Cage.

Prosecutors have vowed to file those charges before February against the 64-year-old actor and weapons specialist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in October 2021.

Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies says the case is about equal justice under the law and accountability in the death of Halyna Hutchins, regardless of the fame or fortune of those involved.

She says the Ukrainian-born cinematographer’s death while rehearsing a scene was tragic — and preventable.

Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed maintain their innocence and have vowed to fight the charges, which were announced Thursday.

Alec Baldwin will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.

New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said on Thursday that Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also face two charges of involuntary manslaughter.

Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on-set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case

Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case: