Charges To Be Dropped Against Alec Baldwin Over Fatal 'Rust' Shooting

Two charges of involuntary manslaughter are expected to be dropped against actor Alec Baldwin, Baldwin's lawyers announced on Thursday.

Baldwin, 64, has argued that he did not shoot the gun responsible for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his upcoming film "Rust." FBI forensics confirmed that a trigger had to be pulled and that Baldwin was the only person capable of shooting the weapon in the incident.

READ: FBI CONCLUDES ALEC BALDWIN PULLED TRIGGER ON ‘RUST’ SET

On Oct. 21, 2021, the actor used a gun he believed was a prop filled with blanks, only to find out it contained a live round after shooting Hutchins. As relayed by Fox News Digital, Baldwin claimed to have been unaware of the gun's live ammunition.

In January, Baldwin was formally charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter alongside "Rust" armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed pled not guilty to the criminal charges.

Baldwin used an F. lli Pietta long Colt .45 revolver; the live round struck Hutchins and director Joel Souza. According to CNBC, production on the project is expected to resume this week.

Alec Baldwin Off The Hook (?) For Fatal Shooting...

Baldwin's lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, released a statement on the criminal charges, which remain active but are anticipated to be dismissed.

(Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic)

"We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident," the statement read.

Nikas has previously spoken out to deny the FBI's investigation that confirmed Baldwin shot the gun.

"The FBI report is being misconstrued," Nikas' statement read in part. "The gun fired in testing only one time — without having to pull the trigger -- when the hammer was pulled back, and the gun broke in two different places. The FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior test, even when pulling the trigger because it was in such poor condition."

Baldwin hasn't been faulted for the tragic and seemingly accidental death. The actor has seen pushback over his denial of pulling the trigger, his ardent gun reform messaging and being tone-deaf about Hutchins' death.

"The trigger wasn't pulled," Baldwin said during an ABC interview. "I didn't pull the trigger."

On the first anniversary of the shooting, Baldwin posted a photo of the deceased Hutchins on his Instagram. His caption read more like a #ThrowbackThursday post than a commemorative or apologetic message.

"One year ago today...," Baldwin posted.