Charges against ‘Rust’ armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed proceed

Although charges of involuntary manslaughter have been dropped against Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting on the set of his movie “Rust,” a new date was set for a judge to hear evidence against the film’s armorer on the same charges on Friday.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was in charge of all weapons and ammo on the set of the low-budget western in 2021 when Baldwin’s gun fired a real bullet, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal.

A preliminary hearing for Gutierrez-Reed has been scheduled to take place from August 9 through the 16th in New Mexico’s First Judicial District Court.

The hearing will allow prosecutors to showcase some key witnesses they’ve gathered, who the defense can then cross-examine for the judge to determine whether the case can head to trial, which could take place in the same month.

Prosecutors accuse her of  “sloppy mishandling of firearms,” leading to the tragedy.

The daughter of famed movie armorer Thell Reed had only ever worked on one other set before she was hired for the catastrophic “Rust” shooting.

The rookie had been in charge of initially loading the vintage Colt .45 revolver Baldwin ultimately used in the October 2021 disaster.

But she then allegedly left the church set where the scene was being filmed and was not present when the life-ending shot was fired.  

She claimed later to police no one notified her the weapon was being used on the set.

Cops also obtained text messages which showed Reed had tried to use live ammunition on set during a past film production, although she maintained the “Rust” revolver was only loaded with dummy bullets.

Immediately following the shooting, investigators who scoured the “Rust” set described finding a combination of live rounds and dummy bullets on the set, a serious safety violation, which fell under Gutierrez-Reed’s purview.

Earlier on the day of the shooting, the ammunition “was left on a cart on the set, not secured,” while the crew took a lunch break, previous police documents said, another red flag.

Reed’s lawyers have said: “The new special prosecutor team has taken a very diligent and thorough approach … They are seeking the truth and we are also … We fully expect at the end of this process that Hannah will also be exonerated.”

Baldwin’s lawyers confirmed Thursday that the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s office had dropped criminal charges against the actor.

“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,” his lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement to The Post.

Special prosecutors handling the “Rust” shooting investigation conceded “new facts were revealed” which called for “further investigation and forensic analysis” that resulted in the dismissal of the charges.

But the special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis noted they “may be refiled,” pending the outcome of various tests.

Sources told ABC news the prosecutors had concluded the gun Baldwin had in his hands had worn joints and its trigger wasn’t functioning properly, and the gun could be fired without putting pressure on it.

Baldwin, 65, has maintained he did not pull the weapon’s trigger and had pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

“Rust” director Joel Souza was standing behind Hutchins and they were both viewing the camera angle as Baldwin looked directly forward in the shot, pulled the gun and fired.

Souza — who is back on set in Montana this week to complete the movie — suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder but survived. 

Hutchins was treated at the scene before she was rushed to the University of New Mexico Hospital, but could not be saved.

Despite Baldwin claiming he had never pulled the trigger, FBI investigators previously determined there was no other way the shot could have been have been fired.

Filming for the movie began in Montana this week. Exclusive photos obtained by The Post showed Baldwin and Souza in snowy Montana Friday.