Rust trial: How events unfolded after fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin film set

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on the set of Western film Rust in New Mexico in 2021, after a gun held by Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fired a live round while he was rehearsing a scene.

He has denied pulling the trigger and has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

The film's armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for the weapons on the set, has been jailed after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Here is a summary of the events leading up to Baldwin's trial.

Halyna Hutchins dies and director Joel Souza is injured after Alec Baldwin fires a prop gun on a film set for 19th Century western Rust in New Mexico.

Ukrainian-born Hutchins was shot while working as the film's director of photography. The 42-year-old was flown to hospital by helicopter, but died of her injuries. Souza was taken by ambulance from the scene at Bonanza Creek Ranch.

• Dead cinematographer 'was an incredible artist'
• What are the rules for guns on film sets?
• What are prop guns and why are they dangerous?

Baldwin was a co-producer of Rust and was playing the film's lead and namesake - an outlaw whose 13-year-old grandson is convicted of manslaughter. The actor is best-known as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, and for his portrayal of Donald Trump on sketch show Saturday Night Live.

He said: "My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna." He said he was "fully co-operating with the police investigation".

In his first statement since the on-set shooting, injured director Souza says he is "gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague" Hutchins.

Hutchins was fatally shot in the chest. Souza, who had been standing behind her, was treated in hospital for a wound to the shoulder, and later discharged.

Court submissions say assistant director David Halls did not know the gun contained live ammunition, and indicated it was unloaded by shouting "cold gun!"

A vigil takes place in New Mexico to mourn Hutchins, with industry professionals among those lighting candles in her memory.

Legal documents reveal Alec Baldwin was drawing a revolver across his body and pointing it at a camera during the on-set rehearsal when the gun fired.

It is revealed assistant director David Halls had been sacked from a previous production, war drama Freedom's Path, over gun safety violations in 2019.

A statement from the producers of that film told news agency AFP that Halls was dismissed after a crew member "incurred a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged".

Investigators say a "lead projectile" was removed from director Souza's shoulder, and that it appeared to be part of a live round.

Sante Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza says police recovered 600 pieces of evidence - including three firearms and 500 rounds of ammunition.

Baldwin speaks publicly for the first time since the shooting, calling Hutchins "my friend".

"The day I arrived in Santa Fe and started shooting I took her [Hutchins] to dinner with Joel," he says. "We were a very, very well-oiled crew shooting a film together, and then this horrible event happened."

He says police had ordered him not to discuss the ongoing investigation, but described the incident as a "one-in-a-trillion episode".

A legal action against Alec Baldwin alleges that the film script did not require him to fire a gun when he fatally shot Hutchins.

Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell - who called police after the shooting - filed the case.

Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, accuses the actor of "playing Russian roulette" when he fired the gun without checking it first.

Police obtain a further warrant to search the premises of an arms supplier.

An affidavit - a written statement of evidence - says police were told ammunition for the film had come from several sources, including PDQ Arm & Prop.

The affidavit says the ammunition supplier's owner, Seth Kenney, had told investigators the live round may have been from some "reloaded ammunition".

He said the ammunition he supplied for the film consisted of dummy rounds and blanks, according to the affidavit.

Baldwin admits his acting career may be over, telling George Stephanopoulos of ABC News "it could be", adding that he did not care.

He also says he "didn't pull the trigger" of the gun during the incident, and adds: "Someone put a live bullet in a gun. I know it's not me."

Baldwin says that, while he didn't feel guilty, the incident had left him emotionally scarred.

According to court records, Halls was given the gun by Gutierrez-Reed. Her lawyers have said she did not know where "the live rounds came from".

Despite obtaining a search warrant more than three weeks earlier, officials say they have been unable to obtain Baldwin's phone.

The actor hits back at suggestions he is not complying with the investigation.

In a long video message posted to his Instagram page, the actor says "any suggestion" he had been deliberately evasive with investigators was a "lie".

"They can't just go through your phone and take your photos, or your love letters to your wife, or what have you," Mr Baldwin said. "That is a process that takes time. But of course we are going to comply 1,000% with all that."

Gutierrez-Reed sues the prop supplier, alleging his company distributed "a mix of dummy and live ammunition" on set.

She filed her legal claim in New Mexico state court, and was seeking unspecified damages from Seth Kenney and PDQ Arm and Prop LLC.

Her claim states: "The ammunition was misrepresented as only dummy ammunition when it contained both dummy and live ammunition."

But in December, Kenney had told Good Morning America: "It's not possible that they [the live rounds] came from PDQ or myself personally."

Court documents state Gutierrez-Reed said police discovered seven bullets suspected of being live ammunition after the shooting, according to AFP news agency.

The documents said the bullets were distributed among a box of cartridges with other ammunition and cartridge belts, intended for the actors to use as accessories.

Baldwin turns over his mobile phone to police.

Hutchins' family bring a lawsuit against Baldwin, assistant director Halls, armourer Gutierrez-Reed and prop master Sarah Zachry.

It alleges Baldwin "recklessly shot and killed" Hutchins on the set of Rust.

Lawyers for the Hutchins family say she would still be alive if crew members had not cut corners.

Hutchins' husband says it is "absurd" that Baldwin is not taking responsibility for her death.

Matthew Hutchins tells NBC's Today: "I was angry to see him talk about her death so publicly in such a detailed way, and then to not accept responsibility after having just described killing her."

The producers of Rust are fined and strongly criticised by authorities for failing to follow safety guidelines.

The makers of the film showed "plain indifference to recognised hazards associated with use of firearms on set", according to the New Mexico Environment Department.

The agency issues the maximum $136,793 (£105,000) fine to Rust Movie Productions.

Police release footage from the set of Rust, including of the aftermath of the fatal shooting.

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza also releases crime scene photos and witness interviews with people including Baldwin.

The producers of Rust dispute an official report saying they were indifferent to gun safety before the on-set shooting tragedy.

Rust Movie Productions says it "enforced all applicable safety protocols".

In legal documents filed to contest the official findings, the firm also says it "did not 'wilfully' violate any safety protocol".

Baldwin reaches a settlement with Hutchins' family.

All parties believe Hutchins' death was an accident, her husband Matthew says in a statement.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will each will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announces.

Lawyers for both say they intend to fight the charges in court.

Assistant director David Halls entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanour charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, prosecutors say. He will spend six months serving probation.

Baldwin was on the phone during firearms training for Rust, prosecutors say, as they charge him with involuntary manslaughter.

Santa Fe's District Attorney's Office accuses the actor of "many instances of extremely reckless acts".

If Baldwin had performed mandatory safety checks with Gutierrez-Reed and not pointed the gun at Hutchins, the "tragedy would not have occurred", wrote Robert Shilling. He is a special investigator for the district attorney, and wrote this in a statement of probable cause filed with the manslaughter charges.

Hutchins' family file a new civil suit against Alec Baldwin and producers involved in Rust.

Their lawyer, Gloria Allred, says they were "devastated by the shocking killing" and "feel strongly that anyone who is responsible for her loss must be held accountable".

The case alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence, and is brought in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Hutchins' mother, father and sister, who are living in Ukraine.

Filming on Rust is to resume this spring, according to US reports, with Baldwin remaining in the the starring role. It is shifting location to Montana.

A mix of new and old crew members will work on the film, with Bianca Cline taking over as cinematographer.

Meanwhile, Hutchins' widower Matthew has approved a documentary about his late wife, producers say.

Rust Movie Productions, which Baldwin is part of, says the scene being rehearsed when Hutchins was shot has been rewritten, and that "any use of working weapons and any form of ammunition" has been barred from the set.

Prosecutors in New Mexico drop firearm enhancement charges against Baldwin in a move that reduces possible prison time for the actor, as the charges carry a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

He still faces up to 18 months in prison under involuntary manslaughter charges.

Heather Brewer, Santa Fe county district attorney spokesperson, says the prosecution dropped the firearm enhancement charge to "avoid further litigious distractions by Mr Baldwin and his attorneys".

Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Gutierrez-Reed is also accused of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors say she failed to ensure that dummy bullets were loaded into the gun that killed Hutchins.

Criminal charges against Baldwin are dropped. New Mexico special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis say that "over the last few days... new facts were revealed" in the case, requiring further investigation.

"This decision does not absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled," the statement continues, adding: "Our follow-up investigation will remain active and ongoing."

On the same day, filming and principal photography for Rust resumes in Montana.

The family of Halyna Hutchins say they will sue Alec Baldwin despite his criminal charges being dropped.

A lawyer for Ms Hutchins' parents and sister say the actor "cannot escape responsibility" for her death.

A judge approves a settlement agreement for the family of Halyna Hutchins.

Lawyers representing Hutchins' husband Matthew and their son Andros sued Baldwin and the film's other producers for wrongful death in 2022. An undisclosed settlement was agreed later the same year.

Gutierrez-Reed was likely hungover on the day a cinematographer was fatally shot, prosecutors allege.

They accuse the weapons supervisor of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in the evenings during filming.

In response, her lawyer says prosecutors had mishandled the case and resorted to "character assassination".

Gutierrez-Reed pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges. Prosecutors say Ms Gutierrez-Reed acted recklessly when loading the gun.

A new report appears to cast doubt over Baldwin's accounts of events. He repeatedly denied pulling the trigger of the prop gun which went off, killing Hutchins.

But weapons experts say the trigger would have "had to be pulled".

A grand jury in New Mexico charges Alec Baldwin with a fresh count of involuntary manslaughter.

Local prosecutors share "additional facts" from forensic tests on the weapon used in the shooting.

Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

He has maintained he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 pistol and only drew back its hammer.

Gutierrez-Reed goes on trial, pleading not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Gutierrez-Reed is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but not guilty of evidence tampering.

In closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors she had failed to ensure the weapon was only loaded with dummy rounds - fake bullets used to look and sound like real ones.

Gutierrez-Reed did not testify, but her lawyer said prosecutors had failed to prove his client was the sole person responsible for the fatal shooting.

Gutierrez-Reed is given the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.

Before being sentenced, she tearfully addressed the court, saying her heart ached for the Hutchins family and friends. "The jury found me guilty; that does not make me a monster. That makes me human," she said.

But the judge told her: "You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. But for you, Ms Hutchins would be alive."

Jury selection begins for Baldwin's trial. The actor faces involuntary manslaughter charges, which he denies.

He maintains he did not pull the trigger, and says the gun went off when he cocked the replica revolver's hammer. His defence team argues that it was the responsibility of other crew members to ensure the gun was safe.

But prosecutors call this claim "absurd", alleging the actor did not share this information when first interviewed after the shooting and arguing he had a responsibility to follow basic gun safety.

Baldwin's Rust trial is dismissed over hidden evidence - Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor.

The actor broke down in tears when the trial collapsed at the Santa Fe court. It was the second time the case has been dismissed, and he will not be tried again.

"There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now," Baldwin later wrote on Instagram. "To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family."

His lawyers alleged police and prosecutors hid evidence - a batch of bullets - that could have been connected to the shooting.

Prosecutors argued the ammunition was not connected to the case and did not match bullets found on the Rust set. The judge ruled, however, that they should have been shared with Mr Baldwin's defence team regardless.

"The state's wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate," she said from the bench. "There is no way for the court to right this wrong."