Hannah Gutierrez, the chief weapons handler for the Western movie “Rust,” has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by Alec Baldwin.
The incident occurred during the filming of the movie “Rust” when actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop firearm, fatally injuring Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer responsible for handling firearms on the set, faced charges of involuntary manslaughter.
Fatal shooting
The court’s decision comes after a lengthy investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic event. Gutierrez-Reed’s sentencing reflects the legal accountability for safety lapses on film sets and the severe consequences of negligence in handling firearms.
In March, Gutierrez, 27, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for mistakenly loading a live round into a revolver Baldwin was using on a Santa Fe, New Mexico, movie set, as reported by Reuters.
“You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer told Gutierrez as she handed down the sentence.
Baldwin’s trial is set for July 10th after a grand jury indicted him on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in January.
