New Felony Charge Filed Against Weapons Supervisor in Halyna Hutchins Shooting Death on Set of “Rust

A weapons supervisor already facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Western film “Rust” now faces an additional felony count. On Thursday, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis charged Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with one count of fourth-degree tampering with evidence.

In a statement provided to CBS News, Jason Bowles, an attorney for Gutierrez-Reed, said it was “shocking” that the special prosecutor had filed the new charge with no prior notice or warning. According to the court documents, Gutierrez-Reed is accused of transferring narcotics “to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecutions or conviction of herself” on the day of Hutchins’ shooting.

The involuntary manslaughter charge against Gutierrez-Reed was filed in June 2021, and she has pleaded not guilty. The charge alleges that she acted with “criminal negligence” when she allowed an inexperienced crew member to handle a gun that was used to shoot Hutchins.

The tampering with evidence charge carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison. Gutierrez-Reed is currently free on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 28.

The shooting death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Alec Baldwin film “Rust” has sparked a nationwide debate about the safety of film sets. The incident has also prompted a number of changes to the way films are produced in New Mexico, including the introduction of a new safety protocol and the hiring of additional safety personnel.