‘Rust’ armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed claims no live ammo is ever kept on the movie’s set, affidavit says
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The armorer working on the movie “Rust” claimed to investigators that “no live ammo is ever kept on set” after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot, a new affidavit states.
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed said she checked the “dummies” and confirmed they weren’t “hot” rounds last Thursday, when a shot from a prop gun being handled by actor Alec Baldwin struck and killed Hutchins, according to the search warrant affidavit released Wednesday by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
“During the course of filming, Hannah advised she handed the gun to Alec Baldwin a couple times, and also handed it to (assistant director) David Halls,” the affidavit says. When asked by an investigator “about live ammo on set, Hannah responded no live ammo is ever kept on set.”
Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in which he draws the gun and points it toward a camera, the film’s director, Joel Souza, told investigators.
Halls told officials he “could only remember seeing three rounds” when he checked the firearm, according to Wednesday’s affidavit.
“He advised he should have checked them all, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if (Gutierrez-Reed) had spun the gun,” the document says.
Halls told investigators the incident “was not a deliberate act.” Production for the Western film was taking place at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico.
The new affidavit was released shortly after the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference, during which Sheriff Adan Mendoza said officials suspect there were multiple live rounds on the movie’s set that day.
“We suspect that there were other live rounds, but that’s up to the testing,” Mendoza said. “Right now, we’re going to determine how those got there, and why they were there, because they shouldn’t have been.”
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies wouldn’t rule out filing charges against anyone, including Baldwin, and cautioned that she won’t rush to judgment as the investigation plays out.
“We are not at the juncture yet,” Carmack-Altwies said Wednesday. “If the facts and evidence and law support charges, then I will initiate prosecution at that time.”
Souza was also wounded in the shooting, with authorities saying he was struck in the shoulder. Mendoza said Wednesday that it was “apparently the same round” that hit Souza and Hutchins, who was struck in the chest.
