Hollywood star Alec Baldwin and a weapons specialist have been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico movie set, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.
Santa Fe's District Attorney's Office accused the actor of ‘many instances of extremely reckless acts’. In a statement Robert Shilling, a special investigator for the district attorney’s office, wrote that Mr Baldwin was ‘distracted’ talking to family members on his mobile phone during training on how to operate the prop gun.
He argued that if Mr Baldwin had performed mandatory safety checks with armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and not pointed the gun at Hutchins, the ‘tragedy would not have occurred’.
Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers intend to fight the charges in court.
The duo could face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 (£4,050) fine if found guilty. According to prosecutors, the actor and weapons specialist will be tried by a jury.
Halyna Hutchins died after being wounded during rehearsals at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on October 21, 2021. Baldwin was reportedly pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza.
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