Rust shooting incident

On October 21, 2021, a weapon used as a prop on a movie set in the United States, shot a projectile that killed one person. Normally, scenes on film or TV where a gun is shot use blanks. Blanks make a bang and give off smoke, but fire no projectile (bullet).

The incident at the  ***Rust*** movie set, in the ghost town Bonanza City, New Mexico, was not caught on camera.

There is no trial scheduled to start against Alec Baldwin (as of 2025's first quarter).

Earlier (July 2024), a trial [was] scheduled to start against Alec Baldwin.  Earlier (January 19, 2024) Baldwin was indicted with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins. Earlier (and in 2023), criminal charges were made against Alec Baldwin, but the charges were dropped later that year; The charges of involuntary manslaughter were filed (or received by the court).

In 2024, the armorer (Hannah Gutierrez Reed) got a prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months. Earlier (March 2024), there was a verdict in the trial. Criminal charges were made against her, in 2023; The charges of involuntary manslaughter were filed (or received by the court).

The death (in 2021) started a debate about working conditions in the film industry, and the use of real guns as props.

## Background

There have been reports about workers not being satisfied with working conditions, "and reports about low [safety or] lax safety standards on the" movie set, media said.

The movie has a low budget, of $6–7 million.

## The shooting

During the incident, a gun with a caliber .45 barrel - was used as a prop; The gun discharged, and the camera woman Halyna Hutchins was then seen to be bleeding; She later died. The director of the movie, Joel Souza was injured.

When that gun had been handed to Alec Baldwin, the assistant director said that the weapon was safe to use; [Minutes or seconds] after that, the gun discharged while Baldwin was holding the gun.

"In the commotion after the shooting [... the assistant director] found the weapon [...] on a church pew. He [... took the weapon] to [... the armorer] and told her to open it so he could see what was inside. There were at least four dummy bullet casings ... or [cartridges and] one empty casing"; That is media's understanding after talking to the assistant director.

The gun from the incident is "a long-barreled [...] revolver"; It is an Italian [copy or] reproduction.

## Investigations and charges

"After lunch, the film’s prop master" took the gun out of the safe and gave it to the armorer; That is what the armorer said to the police. Later, the armorer showed the prop weapon to the assistant director "before continuing rehearsal". Investigators say that the movie's assistant director had the prop weapon in his hands, before giving it to Alec Baldwin.

The district attorney of Santa Fe, says that they know who loaded (or put cartridges in) the gun.

In January 2023, criminal charges were made against Alec Baldwin and the armorer (Hannah Gutierrez Reed); The charges of involuntary manslaughter were filed (or received by the court).

The film's assistant director David Halls was charged with a misdemeanor: the negligent use of a deadly weapon; He told the court system that he is guilty; His punishment is six months of probation. The plea deal was approved in March 2023.

The incident [has been] under investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, and the First Judicial District Attorney (of New Mexico), and New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau.

## Movie directors, producers, production companies and lawsuit

The movie director is Joel Souza (as of 2021); The producers of the movie are Alec Baldwin, Matt DelPiano, Ryan Donnell Smith, Anjul Nigam, Ryan Winterstern and Nathan Klingher.

The production companies (for the movie), are El Dorado Pictures, Cavalry Media, Thomasville Pictures, Brittany House Pictures, Short Porch Pictures.

An electrician that was on the movie set "has sued producers [...] and several crew members, [... saying that] negligence led to the [...] shooting", media said on November 10.

The parents and sister of the victim who died, are suing (as of 2023) "the movie’s production company and others over her death."

The insurance policy for the movie, has a limit of USD 6 million.

The movie is supposed to be shown for the first time, in Poland; That is supposed to happen in November 2024, at a film festival. Earlier, the production of this Western movie was suspended. However, filming [... was] supposed to continue in April 2023 (according to media that same month). That filming [... was] supposed to be done in Montana.

## Related pages

- Cartridge (firearms)
- Prop (or theatrical property)
- Revolver