During the filming of the movie 'Rust,' a tragic incident occurred that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The investigation revealed that a live bullet was present on the set, leading to the fatal shooting. The film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was found to have brought the rounds onto the set, inadvertently causing the unfortunate event.
Prosecutors argued that Gutierrez Reed failed to enforce industry safety protocols on the Western set, putting the cast and crew at risk. She held the dual roles of armorer and prop assistant, having been hired by the movie's producers after working on Nicolas Cage's 'The Old Way.'
The fatal incident occurred when a gun loaded by Gutierrez Reed discharged during a close-up shot being filmed with actor Alec Baldwin. This led to the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins. Gutierrez Reed's lawyer defended her by stating that she was overwhelmed due to juggling two jobs on set, which impacted her ability to focus on her armorer duties.
In March, Gutierrez Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and subsequently sentenced to the maximum term of 18 months in prison. The case highlighted the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols on film sets to prevent such tragic accidents from occurring in the future.
