The reputation and career of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is the topic of discussion in Hollywood as authorities attempt to piece together what happened on the set of Rust. We've been keeping you updated on this case after award-winning actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun while on set in New Mexico, only to discover that the weapon was fitted with live rounds.
Halyna Hutchins, the director of photography, was mortally wounded while director Joel Souza was injured yet survived. There have been fingers pointed in all directions, and not the film's armorer, or weapons handler, has broken her silence.
According to PEOPLE, Baldwin was practicing for a scene when he pulled the trigger that accidentally killed Hutchins. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, has reportedly come forward and said that she is "unsure" how a weapon that had been previously identified as being "cold" became a "hot," or armed with live rounds, gun.
The firearm Baldwin used was identified as "cold" by Rust assistant director Dave Halls, meaning it did not contain a live round. [Rust assistant director Dave Halls] handed the gun to Baldwin and told him it was "cold," according to a search warrant affidavit from the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office. Halls has not yet issued a public comment addressing the incident.
Authorities claimed that when they searched the set they found "500 rounds of ammunition" that included lives, blanks, and dummies. Gutierrez-Reed issued a statement via her attorney where she claimed that "untruths that have been told to the media" have skewed what actually happened, adding she is "devastated and completely beside herself over the events that have transpired."
"Safety is Hannah's No. 1 priority on set. Ultimately this set would never have been compromised if live ammo were not introduced. Hannah has no idea where the live rounds came from," the statement reportedly reads. "Hannah was hired on two positions on this film, which made it extremely difficult to focus on her job as an armorer. She fought for training, days to maintain weapons and proper time to prepare for gunfire but ultimately was overruled by production and her department.
"The whole production set became unsafe due to various factors, including lack of safety meetings. This was not the fault of Hannah." The armorer gave her public condolences to Hutchins's loved ones.
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