Criminal Charges Against Alec Baldwin Dropped Following 'Rust' Set Tragedy
Alec Baldwin, initially facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has had the charges against him dropped, as confirmed by RadarOnline.com.
Baldwin has consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he believed the prop gun did not contain live ammunition.
The tragic incident occurred on the film set in October 2021 when Baldwin was rehearsing a cross-draw for the Western film. The gun discharged, fatally wounding Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza, who sustained a non-life-threatening injury.
"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," said Baldwin's attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, on Thursday.
Deadline reported that the charges have been dropped "for now" as further investigation is conducted.
Although Baldwin claims he never pulled the trigger, last year's FBI report on the tragedy disagreed, stating that pulling the trigger was the only way the weapon could have discharged.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armorer, still faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter for her alleged role in the incident. Both Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin pleaded not guilty to the charges, with a preliminary hearing set for May 3.
Baldwin is currently in Montana, where production on Rust is slated to resume after a 17-month hiatus.
Hilaria Baldwin, the actor's wife, expressed gratitude for the supportive messages from fans during these difficult times in a January episode of her Witches Anonymous podcast. She shared, "It's been an emotional time for my family and I do so want to express to you how grateful I am for your support and your kindness and your reason." She continued, "Quite honestly, without it, we would crumble. So thank you so much for being our rock right now because I don't feel so strong."