Alec Baldwin shooting lawsuit: ‘Rust’ gaffer nearly hit by a bullet claims negligence
LA TimesLighting director Serge Svetnoy filed the first negligence lawsuit in the Alec Baldwin shooting in New Mexico. The chief lighting technician on “Rust,” who held cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in his arms as she lay dying on the movie set, filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles that alleges the film’s producers — including Alec Baldwin — were negligent in Hutchins’ death. “What a tragedy and injustice when a person loses her life on film set while making art.” Svetnoy’s general-negligence complaint, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, names the producers, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, first assistant director Dave Halls, property master Sarah Zachry and weapons provider Seth Kenney as defendants. “She fought for training, days to maintain weapons and proper time to prepare for gunfire but ultimately was overruled by production and her department.” But Svetnoy’s suit said the production “failed to hire a competent and experienced armorer” in Gutierrez-Reed, 24, claiming that she did not train Baldwin how to use or handle the revolver properly. “Simply put, there was no reason for a live bullet to be placed in that Colt.45 revolver or to be present anywhere on the ‘Rust’ set.” “The producers of ‘Rust’ had a duty to hire persons who were trained and experienced in carefully overseeing the use of firearms and ammunition in the filming of the motion picture,” the suit continued, noting that responsibility included having “a sufficient number of trained and experienced armorers to meet the needs of the production.” The suit also names Thomasville Pictures LLC and its principal, Allen Cheney, as defendants.