NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Alec Baldwin is suing the crew members on the set of “Rust” for handing him a gun with live ammo inside. That incident killed Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded Director Joel Souza during rehearsal on the set outside Santa Fe last year.
In a complaint filed Friday, the actor’s Attorney Luke Nikas argues Baldwin was not responsible for the live round in the pistol. He said it was the job of the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, to check the ammunition before loading it, and in fact, it would have been inappropriate for Baldwin to check the gun himself without supervision.
The suit also points the finger at First Assistant Director Dave Halls, who reportedly announced the gun was “cold” before handing it to Baldwin. Prop Manager Sarah Zachry was named in the lawsuit as well for failing to store guns and ammo in an orderly fashion on set and not voicing her concerns about the armorer’s fitness for the job.
Finally, the complaint blames the ammo supplier, PDQ Arm and Prop, and shows photos of the conditions police found when they searched their warehouse.
According to the complaint, the facility was in disarray with poorly marked containers, and live ammo mixed with dummy rounds.
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The four defendants, along with Baldwin, are named as defendants in at least two other lawsuits from members of the film crew.
The Santa Fe district attorney has not yet announced criminal charges in the case.
