Alec Baldwin Could Face Criminal Charges For Death Of Halyna Hutchins

In October 2021, director of photography Halyna Hutchins died on the set of western film Rust after she was fatally shot with a prop firearm. Actor Alec Baldwin is believed to have discharged the firearm during a take. The film’s director Joel Souza was also wounded.

Baldwin was reportedly under the impression that the firearm was loaded with blank rounds. This was not the case and the gun had actually been loaded with live rounds. Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

At the time of the incident, no charges were filed, but it now appears that Alec Baldwin could face criminal charges. The New York Post has obtained documents relating to the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office’s upcoming report of the incident. One such document shows that Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has filed an emergency request for $635,500 from New Mexico’s Board of Finance to fund the prosecution of up to four people in connection with the incident.

The report does not detail exactly who those four people are, but it does note that “one of the possible defendants is well known movie actor Alec Baldwin.” It also states that the prosecution could require up to four separate jury trials.

Carmack-Altwies wrote, “During the filming of [Rust], Alec Baldwin shot and killed Halyna Hutchins and injured Joel Souza while rehearsing a scene. Many individuals had handled the gun that ultimately killed Hutchins and injured Souza. Since October of [2021], my office has been waiting for evidence to be examined by the FBI. The results of the investigation have now been returned to my office. Only a few items are outstanding but are expected any day.”

“I am ready to start the decision of what individuals will be criminally charged in this case,” she added. As noted by The Post, Baldwin has thus far denied firing the gun, instead suggesting that it was accidentally discharged. The full report is expected to be published soon.