BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. — Body camera video released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff shows the armorer of the movie ‘Rust,’ who was responsible for the safe use of firearms on set, is emotional just hours after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed.
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin was holding a prop gun loaded with live ammunition when it discharged, injuring assistant director Joel Souza and killing Hutchins.
“Welcome to the worst day of my life,” the set’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed told a detective as she walked the 24-year-old to the bathroom shortly after the shooting. “I can’t believe Alec was holding the gun.”
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The department released deputies’ body worn camera footage, crime scene photos, interviews and text messages in their investigation about the shooting that happened on Oct. 21 during the filming of the movie ‘Rust.’
Gutierrez-Reed has only been working with guns on sets for nine months prior to the incident, she told police.
The Bullhead City resident is the daughter of Thell Reed, a well-known armorer in Hollywood.
“I’m like the only female armorer in the game and I just [explicit] up my whole entire career,” she said
Among the evidence released, there are text messages from Gutierrez-Reed’s phone to someone named ‘Sarah Props New Mexico.’
In those texts, that person references an incident that allegedly happened “the other day.” The armorer replied, “what incident are we talking about? The only incident I know of is my misfire today.”
Messages from Sarah Zachary’s phone were also in the documents released. Zachary is in-charge of props.
Her phone had a screenshot of a conversation allegedly between Gutierrez-Reed and someone else. In the conversation, they talk about accidents and mistakes that had happened. That conversation was dated Oct. 16, days before the shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed replied, “Do you think I’m a rat? You think I’m going to turn to production and tattle?”
In the months following the shooting, New Mexico Safety Regulators fined the production company $136,793 for safety failures.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff said the investigation is ongoing and the FBI has been helping them. No one has been charged.
“We are reviewing everything completely before we make any statements,” said Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed attorney.
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