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Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit on Friday against the armorer and three other crew members over the deadly shooting on the set of the Western movie ‘Rust,’ in which a gun Baldwin was using during rehearsal killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Hutchins was killed just over a year ago – on October 21, 2021 – and the set was shut down at the Bonanza Creek Ranch set in Sante Fe.
Earlier this month, the producers said filming will resume in January after reaching a confidential settlement with Hutchins’ widow, Matthew. He will now serve as executive producer of the film under as part of an agreement under the settlement.
Despite the settlement announcement, the local DA’s office warned the deal will not impact its criminal investigation into the death and added: ‘No one is above the law.’
Baldwin’s suit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court as a cross complaint stemming from a previous suit in which a different member of the crew named Baldwin and the others as defendants.
The cross complaint names armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first assistant director Dave Halls, prop supplier Seth Kenney and prop master Sarah Zachry.
Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit on Friday against the armorer and three other crew members over the deadly shooting on the set of the Western movie ‘Rust,’ in which a gun Baldwin was using during rehearsal killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
Hutchins was killed just over a year ago – on October 21, 2021 – and the set was shut down at the Bonanza Creek Ranch set in Sante Fe
Baldwin’s cross complaint names armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed (pictured left), first assistant director Dave Halls (pictured right), prop supplier Seth Kenney and prop master Sarah Zachry
Prop master Sarah Zachry is interviewed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office after the shooting
It is one of many pieces of litigation stemming from the tragedy, which is also under criminal investigation and could result in New Mexico state charges against the Emmy-winning actor.
The cinematographer was shot by a gun Baldwin was holding, but the actor insists he didn’t pull the trigger and blames prop managers for not checking if the gun was loaded.
Attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed, Halls and Kenney did not immediately respond to requests for statements in their clients’ defense.
All four were also named as defendants along with Baldwin in the original lawsuit filed by a script supervisor who claimed the shooting caused her severe emotional distress.
Baldwin’s cross complaint alleges negligence and seeks damages to be determined at trial for the ‘immense grief’ he endures.
‘This tragedy happened because live bullets were delivered to the set and loaded into the gun, Gutierrez-Reed failed to check the bullets or the gun carefully, Halls failed to check the gun carefully and yet announced the gun was safe before handing it to Baldwin, and Zachry failed to disclose that Gutierrez-Reed had been acting recklessly off set and was a safety risk to those around her,’ Baldwin’s cross complaint said.
The cinematographer was shot by a gun Baldwin was holding, but the actor insists he didn’t pull the trigger and blames prop managers for not checking if the gun was loaded
Baldwin’s cross complaint alleges negligence and seeks damages to be determined at trial for the ‘immense grief’ he endures
The suit was written by Luke Nikas, an attorney for Baldwin who is with the firm Quinn Emanuel.
Hutchins was killed when a revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with during filming in New Mexico fired a live round that hit her and movie director Joel Souza, who survived.
In a television interview, the actor said he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 revolver and it fired after he cocked it.
An FBI forensic test of the single-action revolver found it ‘functioned normally’ and would not fire without the trigger being pulled.
Earlier this month, the producers said filming will resume in January after reaching a confidential settlement with Hutchins’ widow, Matthew. He will now serve as executive producer of the film under as part of an agreement under the settlement.
Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set by Baldwin while on the set of the movie in New Mexico
Baldwin and Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s husband, shared a hug following the prop gun shooting accident
The exact production site in California hasn’t been confirmed, but the Golden State has dozens of western film sets. Pictured: Bonanza Creek Ranch where Baldwin shot Hutchins
The exact production site in California hasn’t been confirmed, but the Golden State has dozens of western film sets, including in Pioneer Town in Yucca Valley, Paramount Movie Ranch, Spahn Ranch and Iverson Movie Ranch.
Baldwin announced the return of Rust’s production in a post on his Instagram page, noting the move was part of a ‘specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son’ after she was shot dead.
He wrote on social media: ‘Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son.
Matthew Hutchins has previously said that the death of his wife Halyna was a ‘terrible accident.’
‘I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),’ Matthew previously said. ‘All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident.
‘I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.’
Following the announcement of the civil settlement, the DA’s office said: ‘The proposed settlement announced today in Matthew Hutchins’ wrongful death case against Rust movie producers, including Alec Baldwin, in the death of Halyna Hutchins will have no impact on District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis’ ongoing investigation or her ultimate decision whether to file criminal charges in the case.’
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