Alec Baldwin Sued By Family Of ‘Rust’ Cinematographer Killed By Prop Gun For Wrongful Death
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Halyna Hutchins’ family is claiming that Alec Baldwin and ‘Rust’ producers ‘committed major breaches of industry protocols’ that led to her tragic death.
The family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has finally taken legal action against the Rust producers, including Alec Baldwin, nearly 4 months after her tragic on-set death. Lawyer Brian Panish filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday (Feb. 15) in New Mexico on behalf of Halyna’s husband Matthew and their 9-year-old son Angelo, according to multiple reports. The lawsuit specifically called out Alec, 63, and the film’s producers for their “reckless behavior” on the film’s set the day Halyna died (Oct. 21). For those that forget, Alec accidentally discharged a prop gun that killed Halyna and injured director Joel Souza during filming.
The lawsuit claimed that the Rust production team “committed major breaches of industry protocols” that “led to the senseless and tragic death” of Halyna. Her loved ones are reportedly seeking a “substantial” amount of monetary damage in the suit, according to USA Today. “This son has lost his mother. It is a young boy who will never have a mother,” the Hutchins family lawyer said during a press conference when announcing the lawsuit. “And a man who lost his wife, his soulmate. That goes on forever and ever,” he added.
In addition to Alec, Rust producers Ryan Smith, Allen Cheney, Nathan Klingher, Ryan Winterstern, Anjul Nigam, Matthew DelPiano, and Emily Salveson, plus crew members Sarah Zachry, Dave Halls, Hannah Gutierrez–Reed, Gabrielle Pickle, Seth Kenney, and others, were named in the lawsuit. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is reportedly still investigating the incident.
Alec discussed the Rust shooting incident at length with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in December. The actor claimed he “didn’t pull the trigger” of the gun, which was loaded with a live bullet that killed Halyna. “I would go to any lengths to undo what happened,” Alec said in tears. He also reflected on meeting Halyna’s husband and son at the Santa Fe Hospital. “I didn’t know what to say…he hugged me and he goes, ‘I suppose we’re going to go through this together’,” the Emmy winner recalled. “I think to myself, this little boy doesn’t have a mother anymore … and there’s nothing we can do to bring her back.”
So far, no charges have been announced by authorities investigating the incident. Jason Bowles and Robert Gorence, the attorneys for Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, have said they’re looking into the possibility that someone tried to “sabotage the set” of Alec’s film by putting a live bullet in a box of dummy rounds, which ended up in the gun that killed Halyna.