Alec Baldwin Cleared: Criminal Charges Against Actor To Be Dropped After Fatal 'Rust' Shooting
Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the tragic death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, which have now been dismissed, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, stating that he believed the prop gun did not have any live ammunition inside the chamber.
The incident happened on-set in October 2021 when the actor was practicing a cross-draw for the Western film. At one point, the gun fired, striking the cinematographer and director Joel Souza, who suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
"We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident," Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, the attorneys for Baldwin said on Thursday.
Deadline reported the news, stating the charges have been dismissed "for now" as they further investigate.
Despite Baldwin claiming he never pulled the trigger, the FBI disagreed within its report on the tragedy released last year, stating that was the only way the weapon could have gone off.
At this time, charges remain for the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was also hit with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for her alleged part in the incident.
Both pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 3.
- Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter In Fatal 'Rust' Shooting, Faces Up To 5 Years In Prison
- Alec Baldwin Facing Involuntary Manslaughter Charge for 'Rust' Shooting Five Months After Prosecutors Dismissed Initial Case: Sources
- Alec Baldwin Indicted on Involuntary Manslaughter Charge in 'Rust' Shooting
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The Saturday Night Live actor is currently on set in Montana, where production on Rust is set to pick up after a 17-month hiatus.
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The actor's wife, Hilaria Baldwin, spoke out about the tumultuous past few months during a January episode of her Witches Anonymous podcast, revealing that she appreciated the supportive messages from fans amid unimaginable circumstances.
"It's been an emotional time for my family and I do so want to express to you how grateful I am for your support and your kindness and your reason," she said. "Quite honestly, without it, we would crumble. So thank you so much for being our rock right now because I don't feel so strong."