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Three crew members who worked on the set of « Rust » have filed suit against Alec Baldwin and the film’s producers, the most recent in a slew of legal challenges related to the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
In the suit filed Tuesday, dolly operator Ross Addiego, set costumer Doran Curtin and key grip Reese Price maintain they all were standing close to Baldwin when his prop gun, which contained a live bullet, went off during a rehearsal at the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The trio say they suffered « blast injuries » when the gun suddenly discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The suit, provided to USA TODAY by Vigil Law Firm of Albuquerque, notes that the trio is asking for compensatory and punitive damages.
Attorney Jacob Vigil said in a statement Tuesday that Baldwin repeatedly disregarded safety issues on the set, « endangering the entire cast and crew, tragically killing one, and injuring many others, including our clients. »
Here’s a chronological look back at all the legal action in this movie tragedy. What happened on the set of ‘Rust’?
« Rust » star and producer Baldwin made his way to a small church on a Western movie set near Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Once inside, he was handed a firearm by assistant director Dave Halls, who yelled « cold gun » to confirm the weapon was safe.
During rehearsal, cinematographer Hutchins, who was behind her camera opposite Baldwin, asked the actor to simulate the hand motion he would use in the scene. When he did that, the Colt .45 suddenly went off, its lone live bullet injuring Souza and killing Hutchins. Production for « Rust » immediately shut down but is said to resume soon, reportedly in Montana.
After more than a year of investigations, New Mexico prosecutors have charged Baldwin and « Rust » armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter, which carries a penalty of up to 18 months in jail.How many lawsuits have been filed in the ‘Rust’ incident?
More than a half-dozen individuals – ranging from « Rust » production employees to Baldwin himself – have filed lawsuits as a result of the shooting, which brought intense scrutiny to Hollywood’s use of real weapons on set.
