‘Rust’ Armorer Released After Serving Manslaughter Sentence

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film Rust, was released from a New Mexico prison after serving an 18-month sentence. She was found guilty in March 2024 for unknowingly bringing live ammunition onto the set and failing to follow basic gun safety protocols, but was acquitted of evidence tampering. Gutierrez-Reed is now on parole and probation with conditions including mental health assessments, a ban on firearm possession, a curfew, and no contact with the victim's family, and she has an appeal pending. Alec Baldwin, who discharged the prop gun that killed Hutchins, had involuntary manslaughter charges dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct. Rust completed filming in Montana and was released in theaters, with Hutchins' family encouraging audiences to see the film despite its tragic history. The case highlighted significant safety failures on the Rust set and led to legal consequences for those involved.