Oscar-nominated actor Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Western movie “Rust,” prosecutors said Thursday. According to New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, Baldwin and the film’s armorer who was in charge of weapons on the set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, will each face two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The first assistant director, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to the negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to the DA’s office.

This decision has been met with strong reactions from Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, who believes that this is a “terrible miscarriage of justice” and that Baldwin had no reason to believe there were live bullets in the gun. Nikas states that Baldwin relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. He has vowed to fight the charges and win the case. An attorney for Gutierrez-Reed also stated that his client is not culpable and that these charges are the result of a flawed investigation.

Involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony and is normally punishable by up to 18 months behind bars and a $5,000 fine, prosecutors said. But a firearm enhancement on the charges could make the crime punishable by a mandatory sentence of five years in jail, prosecutors said.

“After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew,” Carmack-Altwies said in a statement.

“On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”

Hutchins was fatally shot nearly 15 months ago during the filming of “Rust” at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was rehearsing with a pistol for a scene set inside a church when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. The prosecution states that if any one of these three people had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. They believe that there is a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set and that in New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take the state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.

Hutchins, 42, was survived by her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their 9-year-old son, Aldous. The death of Halyna Hutchins is a tragic loss for her family, friends, and colleagues. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of taking gun safety and public safety seriously in all situations, especially on film sets where lives are at risk. It remains to be seen how the court case will progress, but it is clear that the stakes are high for Alec Baldwin and the other members of the Rust film crew.