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Prosecutor Says 4 People, Including Alec Baldwin, Could Face Possible Criminal Charges in 'Rust' Shooting
A sign directs people to the road that leads to the Bonanza Creek Ranch where the movie "Rust" was being filmed on Oct. 22, 2021 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Sam Wasson
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Getty Images
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Nearly a year after actor Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of Rust, prosecutors have said criminal charges might be imminent, and that potential targets could include Baldwin.
In a letter asking for more than $600,000 in additional money to fund its Rust investigation, the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s office said that up to four people potentially could be charged.
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in the letter that “one of the possible defendants is well-known movie actor Alec Baldwin.” Baldwin not only starred in the movie but also was one of its producers.
The Charges Being Explored
The Santa Fe New Mexican quoted Carmack-Altwies saying she is “certainly looking at all the homicide statutes and any gun statutes under New Mexico criminal code” and that the funding could be used for as many as four different trials.
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Her office did not reply to an email seeking comment. Baldwin has said he didn’t pull the gun’s trigger, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation has cast doubt on his explanation.
Hutchins’ family and several people who worked on the film have filed civil complaints over the deadly shooting.
A focus of several of those lawsuits has been the conduct of the film’s first assistant director, Dave Halls, and its novice armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Both handled the gun that Baldwin fired.
Fines Issued Already
In April, New Mexico safety investigators fined the production the maximum amount possible: $136,793.
Immediately following the shooting, there were industry calls for stricter gun safety rules on film and tv sets, and potential legislation outlawing real guns in productions. But there have been few signs of material change.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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