Charges to be filed in shooting killing former USC Upstate student on ‘Rust’ movie set

SANTE FE, N.M. (FOX Carolina) - The Santa Fe district attorney announced Thursday that charges will be brought in the shooting that killed a former USC Upstate student on the set of the western film “Rust.”

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died shortly after she was wounded when a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin discharged in 2021. Baldwin said he was told the gun was safe and called it a “tragic accident.”

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced Thursday that Baldwin and the armorer for the film, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed are being charged with two counts of manslaughter.

If they are found guilty, a jury will have to determine under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they are convicted.

Hutchins’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and the crew of “Rust,” which was settled in October. The film’s assistant director David Halls, who handed Baldwin the gun, signed a plea agreement for negligent use of a deadly weapon.

The production company was also fined $137,000 for failing to follow firearm safety protocols. Investigators said they found both blanks and apparent live rounds among the 500 rounds of ammunition on set.

Before she made it to Hollywood, Hutchins studied at USC Upstate in Spartanburg and interned at ETV Upstate. Her former boss said he could tell she “was going to go places.”

“It’s very sad to see that someone with the talent and ambition that she had, to see it all come to a screeching halt by what happened on a movie set,” William Richardson, the regional studio manager for ETV Upstate told FOX Carolina after the shooting.

Hutchins leaves behind husband Matthew Hutchins and their son Andros.

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