Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the tragic ‘Rust’ shooting incident. She faces up to 18 months in prison and was acquitted of tampering with evidence. The judge ordered her into custody after the verdict was delivered.
This case marks the first trial related to the shooting incident on the film set that resulted in the death of the cinematographer. Alec Baldwin is set to face his manslaughter trial in July.
Gutierrez Reed, responsible for gun safety on set, loaded a live bullet into Baldwin’s pistol instead of dummy rounds, resulting in the fatal shooting. The jury had to agree that she acted with disregard for safety and the death was foreseeable to convict her of involuntary manslaughter.
The defense argued that management failed to provide adequate time for Gutierrez Reed to do her job properly, and they also pointed the blame at the weapons supplier. The prosecutor highlighted the armorer’s alleged failure to adhere to safety practices.
The jurors raised questions regarding what could break the chain of events, requiring clarification from the judge. Gutierrez Reed’s actions were deemed as a significant oversight that led to the tragic incident on the film set.
