Alec Baldwin slammed as 'Rust' armorer testifies he was busy FaceTiming, texting during firearms training

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Testifying in the ongoing trial in the tragic incident on the set of 'Rust,' film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has revealed concerning behavior by Alec Baldwin during firearms training, shedding light on potential lapses in safety protocols.

Gutierrez-Reed revealed that Baldwin, who portrays the lead role in the film, engaged in distracting activities such as texting, FaceTiming, and having his assistant record him with the gun for social media during the training sessions.

These revelations come amid investigations into the fatal shooting of the film's director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, on October 21, 2021, when Baldwin fired a prop gun.

The proceedings against the armorer in a Santa Fe court hold implications for Baldwin as he has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and could face a trial later this year. The actor has claimed he assumed the gun had only inert dummy rounds inside the weapon that can’t fire and that someone else is responsible.

Alec Baldwin's conduct during firearms training raises eyebrows, armorer testifies

The 27-year-old armorer is currently facing trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering, with prosecutors alleging her negligence in loading live ammunition into the prop gun. Gutierrez-Reed's testimony suggests potential lapses in supervision and adherence to safety protocols during the training sessions, further complicating the legal proceedings.

Despite Gutierrez-Reed's efforts to ensure proper handling of firearms during the training sessions, Baldwin's absence from the group training and his purported distractions raise concerns about the adequacy of safety measures implemented on the set.

The trial is set to continue, with Gutierrez-Reed potentially facing significant prison time if convicted on the charges against her.

She also testified that she conducted a private training session for Baldwin at a church, saying, “I walked in, and I said, ‘All right, Alec. I’m going to be your armorer. We’re going to go over how to shoot all your weapons, how to load them, how to make them safe, and we’re going to make sure that you really know — that you look like you know what you’re doing.’”

Gutierrez-Reed said she requested the producers grant her more training time, “Particularly with Alec, just because his role is so gun-heavy, and I wanted to make sure he was familiar with his weapon.”

She testified, “I told them that he needed more time to practice his cross draw because I didn’t want him to have complications with it on filming day.”

As the legal proceedings unfold, the revelations from Gutierrez-Reed's testimony underscore the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols on film sets, particularly concerning the handling of firearms, to prevent tragic incidents like the one that occurred on the set of 'Rust.'

Backlash against Alec Baldwin grows amid reports of distracted behavior during 'Rust' firearms training

Reports suggesting that Alec Baldwin was preoccupied with FaceTiming and texting during firearms training for the film 'Rust' have sparked backlash against the actor, with many expressing outrage and disappointment over his alleged lack of attention to safety protocols.

While some criticized Gutierrez-Reed, stating, "Way to take ownership lady… unbelievable…actually with this generation it’s totally believable", some slammed the lack of responsibility on Baldwin's part.

 "Yeah not paying attention or doing his due diligence no doubt...he's exec producer he should be held accountable," one comment read.

"Just put this hot mess in jail already," asserted another.

One said, "Doesn't matter what Baldwin did, he ignored every firearm safety rule there is, even a child with just a little training knows better than to do what he did, that killing is totally Baldwins fault".

Criticism of Baldwin's behavior extends to his perceived personality traits, with one user characterizing him as "No surprise, Alec always does what he wants, when he wants. Totally self absorbed. No one else matters."