Halyna Hutchins' Parents Seek 'Accountability and Justice' After Daughter's Fatal Shooting On 'Rust' Set

Chisom Ndianefo
Close-up shot of Alec Baldwin
Getty | MEGA

Alec Baldwin, who plays the titular character in the movie Rust, and others are being sued by the parents and sister of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was shot and killed on the Rust set in 2021 during a rehearsal.

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How Negligence Cost Hutchins Her Life

The scene where Hutchins was shot
Buzzfeed

According to Buzzfeed, in a news conference, attorney Gloria Allred claimed that Hutchins' untimely death resulted from intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and consortium loss on the defendants' part.

Baldwin's Other Mistakes On The Set of Rust

The cinematographer's family claims that, among other mistakes, Baldwin's failure to check the gun before accidentally shooting Hutchins and injuring the movie's director, Joel Souza, the fact that live ammunition was permitted on set, and the fact that the gun was given to the actor by the assistant director and not the armorer, all contributed to the death of the cinematographer.

On Disregarding Gun Safety

Alec Baldwin
Flickr | TG4TV

The complaint claims that "Mr. Baldwin chose to play Russian roulette with a loaded gun without checking it and without having the armorer do so" and that Mr. Baldwin's disregard for gun safety standards "makes this a case where injury or death was much more than just a possibility — it was a likely result."

The War In Ukraine Didn't Make It Easy

Living "amid Putin's war," Hutchins' parents and sister are attempting to cope with the tragedy while living in Ukraine, Allred said. Her brother-in-law is a soldier serving in the war, and Hutchins' mother is a nurse in a hospital close to Kyiv.

The Details Of The Lawsuit

Gavel
Unsplash | Tingey Injury Law Firm

The lawsuit names more than a dozen defendants, including several producers, the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, and Baldwin. The actor is being criminally charged for the shooting.

Prosecutors in New Mexico have charged Gutierrez-Reed, like Baldwin, with involuntary manslaughter, and Halls has agreed to enter a guilty plea to reckless use of a deadly weapon.

During a news conference, Allred said, "it is clear to us that the relationships of all of our clients have been damaged, and that they will not be able to enjoy life in the same way as they did when their precious Halyna was alive." She continued, "Halyna was the light in their lives."

How The Tragedy Could Have Been Avoided

The prosecutors wrote that "had Baldwin performed the required safety checks with the armorer... this tragedy would not have occurred," and "if Baldwin had not pointed the gun at Hutchins ... this tragedy would not have occurred."

Mr. Baldwin and Ms. Gutierrez-Reed could spend up to 18 months in jail if they are guilty after a trial.

Bearing The Tragic Loss During The War

Hutchins and her sister
Buzzfeed

According to Ms. Allred, Ms. Hutchins' family had to deal with the loss while residing in Ukraine during the war. She claimed that Ms. Hutchins' mother is a hospital emergency operating room nurse caring for those hurt during the war.

If she were still alive, Ms. Hutchins would have tried to get her family out of the war in Ukraine and into the US, according to Ms. Allred.

Baldwin Denies Being Guilty

In a report sent to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, FBI officials refuted Mr. Baldwin's denial of guilt in the shooting and his claims that he did not pull the trigger and that the gun went off accidentally.

Why The Family Are Suing

Alec Baldwin
Giphy | Product Hunt

Despite Alec's assertion, Hutchins's husband, Matthew, and son, Andros, sued Baldwin and other Rust producers in a separate case that was ultimately resolved last year. Therefore, the Hutchins family begs to differ. But the case did not involve Hutchins' parents or sister. Hence why they are suing him again.

As Allred said, "there has been no settlement for them. Matter of fact, there has been no outreach to them by Mr. Baldwin to even say he was sorry, so we want accountability and justice for them. It's as simple as that."