CNN has reported on a new development in the ongoing story revolving around the tragedy on the set of the Alec Baldwin film Rust. A lawsuit has been filed by the family of Halayna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was killed on the set of Rust. The lawsuit alleges that Baldwin and others violated industry-standard safety protocols, according to attorney Brian Panish, who represents Hutchins’ husband and nine-year-old son.
On October 21st, 2021, on the set for the upcoming western film Rust a prop gun in the hands of Baldwin was fired, which injured director Joel Souza and led to the death of Hutchins.
Aaron Dyer, the attorney representing Baldwin and other producers, claims that Baldwin was told he was holding a “cold gun, ” an industry term for a firearm that is not loaded.
Other people named in the lawsuit include Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer, and Sarah Zachry, the prop master. Both of these individuals were responsible for prop guns on set. Reed has also sued the film’s gun and ammunition supplier, alleging that the supplier mixed up the prop rounds with live ammunition. Another individual named in the lawsuit is Dave Halls, the assistant director, who handed Baldwin the gun that killed Hutchins. Halls’ attorney has stated that it was not Halls’ responsibility to check the prop gun.
The safety protocols on the set of Rust are the center of this lawsuit. There are numerous allegations of the production sacrificing safety to save money, such as having Reed split her attention between the armorer and assistant props master. Other safety protocols cited in the lawsuit include improper storage, the use of live ammunition, and using a real gun instead of a fake gun.
A video shown by the family lawyer Panish re-enacted the tragedy’s events which demonstrated the “factual allegations in the complaint made by the Hutchins Family.” More updates will be released as the lawsuit progresses and more evidence comes to light concerning the tragedy at the set of Rust.