INFAMOUS: Rust Shooting
- Yasmin Sudarsanam
- Oct 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Trigger Warning: The following case includes depictions of graphic violence. Please read at your own discretion.
During the filming of the western-style film Rust near Santa Fe, New Mexico, a tragic accident occurred when a gun Alec Baldwin was holding went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. After months of investigation and litigation, the case against Baldwin was finally dismissed this year. This is the story of Alec Baldwin and the Rust shooting.
Alec Baldwin, both the lead actor and producer of Rust, has had a long career in film and television, known for his roles in films like The Departed and Beetlejuice as well as his portrayal of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. As a prominent figure in Hollywood, Baldwin’s involvement in the incident shocked the industry.
Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who tragically lost her life, was a dedicated and talented filmmaker. Born and raised on a Soviet military base in the Arctic Circle, Hutchins studied economics in Ukraine before switching to a journalism program at Kyiv National University. She later attended the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles. Hutchins was not only a rising star in her field but also a loving mother, excited to begin work on Rust.
On October 21, 2021, the Rust crew was filming inside a wooden structure mimicking a church. In the scene, Baldwin’s character was supposed to draw a gun on U.S. marshals. That day, the prop firearm was repeatedly referred to as a “cold gun,” indicating it was safe to handle. However, while the crew was setting up a particular camera angle, the gun unexpectedly discharged. The bullet passed through Hutchins’ upper body, fatally injuring her, and lodged in director Joel Souza, who fortunately recovered. Hutchins, then 42, was airlifted to a nearby Albuquerque hospital, but sadly, she passed away the next day.
In the ensuing investigation, five additional live rounds were discovered on set, some found on the prop cart and in Baldwin’s gun belt. Investigators also learned that just a day before the shooting, some members of the camera crew had quit over concerns about working conditions, including several instances of guns accidentally discharging. Baldwin denied responsibility, stating he had been told the gun did not contain live rounds. He also denied pulling the trigger, though forensic evidence later disproved this claim. Live ammunition is strictly prohibited on film sets.
Litigation followed the tragedy. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer who handed Baldwin the loaded gun, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in early 2024 and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Prosecutors accused her of neglecting safety protocols on multiple occasions. Dave Halls, the assistant director, accepted a plea deal for failing to fully check the gun. Baldwin himself faced charges of involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, though these charges were later dismissed due to a legal technicality. The case was revived and went before a grand jury, but on July 12, 2024, a judge dismissed the case with prejudice, citing withheld evidence that suggested how live rounds could have been present on set. Because of the prejudice, the case can never again be revived and brought before a judge or jury.
While filming of Rust resumed and wrapped in Montana in 2023, the shooting incident left a lasting impact. Halyna Hutchins' husband and son filed a wrongful death lawsuit, citing reckless and negligent conduct. A settlement was reached, and her husband was made an executive producer on the film. Gutierrez-Reed filed her own lawsuit against the prop provider, claiming the ammunition boxes contained both dummy and live rounds without proper labeling. Baldwin also filed lawsuits against several crew members, alleging negligence. The production of Rust faced fines, including a $100,000 penalty from New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau for its disregard of firearm safety. The incident also sparked a broader debate about the use of real firearms on film sets, raising questions about safety protocols within the entertainment industry.
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