Criminal charges against Alec Baldwin to be dropped in fatal Rust shooting

The star, who shot a member of the Rust film cast on set who later died, will have all charges against him dropped, his lawyers have said.

Criminal charges against Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting on the set of his movie Rust have been dropped.

Baldwin, 65, was charged with involuntary manslaughter over the October 21, 2021 shooting of the 45-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the western movie, after a prop pistol he was using for a scene fired a real bullet.

Filming is set to resume on the film this week in the state of Montana.

The removal of a firearm enhancement charge against the star meant his maximum sentence had already been reduced from five years to 18 months in prison.

Baldwin had always maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the charges, brought by the Santa Fe District Attorney.

Actor Alec Baldwin has reportedly had all charges against him dropped. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

In a statement to the New York Post, Baldwin’s lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said: “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident”.

Rust director Joel Souza was also wounded in the on-set shooting.

A second person charged with involuntary manslaughter alongside Baldwin, the film’s former armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is still facing charges in connection with the shooting.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of Rust. Picture: Instagram

Assistant director David Hall previously pleaded no contest to a single count of petty misdemeanour negligent use of a deadly weapon.

He had handed the gun to Baldwin before it was fired but neglected to make sure the gun didn’t hold live bullets.

After Ms Hutchins had been shot she was treated at the scene and then transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she died.

A spokesman for the Santa Fe District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.

Baldwin had been charged with the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set (Photo by Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office / AFP)

Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's offices after being questioned after the incident. Picture: Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican

Despite Baldwin claiming he had never pulled the trigger of the gun, FBI investigators determined there was no other way the shot would have fired.

The gun, the agency report ruled, “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger”.

In January, a special prosecutor argued that Ms Hutchins would be alive if proper steps had been taken.

“If any one of these three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, or David Halls — had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today,” special prosecutor Andrea Reeb said. “It’s that simple.”

The scene of the shooting at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office / AFP)

Ms Reeb later stepped down from the case after a challenge from Baldwin’s lawyers who argued her role as a New Mexico politician prevented her from also acting as special prosecutor in the case, as it would violate the state constitution.

Ms Hutchins’ family sued Baldwin in February. They argued that he was at fault for Ms Hutchins’ shooting death because he was the “person holding the weapon”.

The family’s lawyer, Brian Panish said it was “clear what happened”.

“He had the gun, he says he pulled the hammer back, it fired, and she was killed. … The experts will look at it and make any determinations, but we don’t think this was caused by any defect in the weapon.”

This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.