Armorer On Alec Baldwin's 'Rust': 'No Idea Where Live Rounds Came From'

Published Oct 29, 2021 1:49 PM

A bright yellow sign reads "RUST" and has a white arrow pointed to the right with a grassy field in the background. These signs are typically used to direct workers to a production location.

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The armorer in charge of the weapons on the film Rust has spoken out for the first time since actor/producer Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set. He shot her with a gun being used as a prop on the New Mexico movie set last week.

Through a statement provided to KPCC/LAist today by her lawyer Jason Bowles, Hannah Gutierrez Reed defended her actions on the set of Rust and said she has "no idea where the live rounds came from."

Gutierrez Reed was identified by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza in a press conference on Wednesday as one of two people, along with assistant director David Halls, who "handled and/or inspected the loaded firearm prior to Baldwin firing the weapon."

Mendoza added that approximately 500 rounds of ammunition had been recovered from the set: "a mix of blanks, dummy rounds, and what we are suspecting [are] live rounds."

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First Hannah would like to extend her deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Halyna. She was an inspirational woman in film who Hannah looked up to. She also offers her thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery to Joel. Hannah is devastated and completely beside herself over the events that have transpired.

... Safety is Hannah’s number one priority on set. Ultimately this set would never have been compromised if live ammo were not introduced. Hannah has no idea where the live rounds came from. Hannah and the prop master gained control over the guns and she never witnessed anyone shoot live rounds with these guns and nor would she permit that. They were locked up every night and at lunch and there’s no way a single one of them was unaccounted for or being shot by crew members. Hannah still, to this day, has never had an accidental discharge. The first one on this set was the prop master and the second was a stunt man after Hannah informed him his gun was hot with blanks.

When asked how Halls and Gutierrez Reed had apparently checked the gun and not noticed that it held a live round, Mendoza said, "We're going to try and determine exactly how that happened. And if they should have known that there was a live round in that firearm."