Hutchins’ family sues Baldwin, new details about what happened come to light
According to reports, Alec Baldwin is being sued by the family of late Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The actor is accused of firing a single bullet that hit Hutchins’ – who passed away – exited her body, and then struck director Joel Souza, who survived. At the same time as Hutchins’ family sues Baldwin, new details about what happened have come to light. In a new, chilling video, the moment Alec Baldwin allegedly pulled the trigger of the prop gun is included.
The world of show business was sent into shock and grief in October of last year. On the film set for Rust in New Mexico, actor Alec Baldwin’s prop gun discharged a live bullet, striking the cinematographer Halya Hutchins – who passed away – and injuring the director, Joel Souza, during a scene preparation.
Besides Alec Baldwin, the investigation surrounding the incident has also been centered around assistant director Dave Halls. According to reports, he was the one who handed Baldwin the gun and told him that it was safe to use it. Also, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed – who loaded the weapon – was centered in the investigation.
The 42-year-old woman, Halya Hutchins, was airlifted after the incident and transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical staff, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Director Joel Souza was transported via ambulance to Christus St. Vincent’s hospital and was later released.
Court records stated that Alec Baldwin was handed the gun by the film’s assistant director Dave Halls, who didn’t know it contained live ammunition. Further, the weapon was unloaded by shouting cold gun.
Anew lawsuit against Baldwin has been filed, this time by the late Halyna Hutchins’ family.
Hutchins’ lawyer filed – on behalf of Halyna’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son, Andros – a wrongful death suit which names Baldwin and others who “are responsible for the safety on the set” and “reckless behavior and cost-cutting.”
Hutchins’ family is suing for punitive damages, funeral and burial expenses, among other things to be determined at trial.
“Halyna Hutchins deserved to live, and the Defendants had the power to prevent her [passing] if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations,” the lawsuit reads.
“This lawsuit seeks justice for the losses of her survivors and to hold responsible those who caused her tragic [passing].”
The lawyer interviewed witnesses before filing the lawsuit.
Also, a new, chilling video released shows a reenactment from the movie-set incident that took Halyna’s life.
The animated footage uses a computer-generated figure of actor Alec Baldwin and others on set on the day of the incident. The animated film also includes the moment where Halyna Hutchins was shot by what was supposed to have been a prop gun.
“There are many people culpable, but Mr. Baldwin was the person holding the weapon… that but for him [firing the gun], she would not have [passed away],” lead attorney Brian Panish, said at a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, as reported by the New York Post.
“[Baldwin] has significant portion liability, but there are others, and that’s what this case is going to be about — assessing fair apportionment to whoever’s responsible for the senseless tragedy,” the lawyer said of the suit filed in New Mexico.
The chilling footage in the 10-minute animated video reveals new details of what happened when Baldwin’s gun went off. It included footage when the bullet seared through Hutchins’ chest.
Furthermore, the video shows Baldwin sitting in a provisional church building on set when the gun was fired. According to Hutchins’ lawyers, it hit her from four feet away.
“I’m hit,” Hittchins’ said according to the lawsuit, reported by the New York Post.
The narrator says in the video that the footage explains that there are simple ways to tell whether a bullet is live before being fired. Further, a dummy bell would have had a hole in it, and rattle if shaken. On the contrary, a real bullet lacks the hole and doesn’t make any sound, The Post reports.
“I think it’s clear what happened,” lead attorney Brian Panish told reporters. “Alec had the gun in his hand. He shot it.”
“Any claim that Alec was reckless is entirely false, Aaron Dyer, the attorney for Baldwin, said.
“This protocol has worked on thousands of films, with millions of discharges, and there has never before been an incident on a set where an actual bullet harmed anyone,” Dyer added. “Actors should be able to rely on armorers and prop department professionals, as well as assistant directors, rather than deciding on their own when a gun is safe to use.”