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‘Sloppy’ or a ‘Scapegoat’? Dueling ‘Rust’ Armorer Portrayals in Trial Opening

'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed says she's a "scapegoat," but prosecutors say her negligence led to the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins

Gutierrez-Reed, 26, has pleaded not guilty to charges she negligently loaded a live bullet into the .45-caliber Colt revolver that actor Alec Baldwin accidentally fired on the set of the Western movie Rust, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021. In opening statements, prosecutors said the evidence will show Gutierrez-Reed carelessly brought live ammunition onto Rust’s set, “treated safety protocols as if they were optional,” started the chain reaction that led to Hutchins’ death and later asked a fellow crew member to hide a bag of cocaine for her hours after the shooting. As previously reported by Rolling Stone, Halls admitted to investigators that he failed to check all chambers of the revolver before taking it from Gutierrez-Reed, declaring it a “cold gun” — meaning it had no live rounds — and handing it to Baldwin.

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