Alec Baldwin’s Rust Armorer Walks Free After Serving Only 14 Months for Fatal Shooting [WATCH]

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting on the set of Rust, has been released early from prison after serving just over a year of her 18-month sentence.

Her release, granted for good behavior and completion of a drug program while in custody, comes just 14 months after she began serving time in March 2024.

The shooting occurred in October 2021 during the filming of Rust, a Western movie being shot in New Mexico.

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Actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene when a prop revolver discharged, fatally wounding cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Baldwin, who has consistently denied pulling the trigger, was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter.

That charge was dismissed in 2024 after prosecutors withheld key evidence.

Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for the handling and oversight of weapons on set, was tried separately.

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A jury found her guilty of involuntary manslaughter, concluding that her handling of the ammunition on set had been reckless.

She was sentenced to the maximum penalty under state law—18 months in prison.

Following her early release, Gutierrez-Reed will serve one year of parole in Bullhead, Arizona.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A movie armorer convicted in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western movie “Rust” was released from a New Mexico prison on Friday after completing an 18-month sentence.

Prison records show Hannah Gutierrez-Reed… pic.twitter.com/ISK82qb7IS

— Eugene (@BreakingNews4X) May 24, 2025

Under the terms of her release, she is prohibited from owning any firearms and must undergo a mental health evaluation.

She will also be required to comply with any recommendations resulting from the evaluation.

Additionally, Gutierrez-Reed is not permitted to have any contact with the family of Halyna Hutchins, including her widower, Matthew Hutchins.

As part of a wrongful death settlement, Matthew Hutchins received a producer credit on Rust.

The investigation into the shooting revealed that the revolver used by Baldwin was believed to be loaded with blanks, but was later found to contain a live round.

The source of that live ammunition became a point of contention during legal proceedings.

Baldwin has stated that he pulled back the hammer of the revolver but did not pull the trigger.

In January 2025, Baldwin filed a civil lawsuit against members of the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office, accusing them of malicious prosecution and violating his civil rights.

According to court documents, Baldwin and his legal team claimed that prosecutors attempted to “scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law.”

They further accused prosecutors and investigators of using the case for professional or political gain.

Baldwin is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and interest.

His case was dismissed after it was revealed that prosecutors withheld evidence—specifically, live ammunition introduced by a retired police officer was filed under a separate case number, and Baldwin’s defense team was not notified.

Following the dismissal of Baldwin’s charges, Gutierrez-Reed filed a motion to have her conviction overturned or to be granted a new trial. That motion is still pending.

Rust premiered in September 2024 at a film festival in Poland and was later released in the United States in early 2025.

The film has received mixed reviews, with public attention largely focused on the fatal incident that occurred during its production.

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