A senior crew member on the set of the movie Rust has filed suit against Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director Dave Halls over the fatal October 21 shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Serge Svetnoy was a key gaffer on the production — the person responsible for positioning lights for the camera — and incidentally, the crew member who posted what is believed to be the last photo of Hutchins alive.
TMZ reports Svetnoy is suing the previously mentioned people, and others, claiming their negligence led to the shooting that killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, when Baldwin fired a live round at the pair from what he was allegedly told by Halls was a “cold,” or empty, pistol.
The suit claims Baldwin “owed a duty to the Plaintiff and [others] on the ‘Rust’ set to handle the Colt Revolver provided to him by defendant Halls with reasonable care and diligence for the safety of ‘Rust’ cast and crew.”
It also says, “This duty called for Defendant Baldwin to double-check the Colt Revolver…to ensure that it did not contain live ammunition.”
Furthermore, the suit claims Baldwin wasn’t supposed to pull the trigger, because he was just rehearsing.
Svetnoy claims that the bullet that struck both Hutchins and Souza nearly struck him, too, and that he rendered aid to his friend after she was shot. The incident left him with severe emotional distress, TMZ quotes the suit as declaring. Svetnoy also reportedly claims in the suit that guns acquired for Rust were in fact also being used for target practice, something an attorney for Gutierrez-Reed denies.
Investigators say live rounds, blanks and dummy rounds were found on the set. Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney recently told ABC’s Good Morning America that he believes someone intentionally placed a live round in a box of dummy ammunition.
Authorities haven’t ruled out criminal charges in the case as the investigation continues.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
Music notes: Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and more
July 11, 2025
After wiping her Instagram clean Wednesday, signaling the beginning of a musical era, Demi Lovato…
Joseph Quinn on being cast in The Beatles films: ‘It’s beyond my wildest dreams’
July 11, 2025
Gerald Matzka/Getty ImagesStranger Things actor Joseph Quinn has opened up about getting to play…
Joey King, Maisie Williams and more added to ‘Practical Magic 2’ cast
July 11, 2025
Cindy Ord Getty Images | Getty ImagesFlip the switch and let the cauldron bubble because the…
Justin Bieber addresses ‘standing on business’ rant, marriage struggles on ‘Swag’
July 11, 2025
Def Jam RecordingsIs it clocking to you now? Justin Bieber addresses his viral “standing on…
Beyoncé replaces red convertible with gold horse at Cowboy Carter tour stop in Atlanta
July 11, 2025
Parkwood EntertainmentTexas can hold Beyoncé's red convertible: she's switched it out for a…
Weekend Watchlist: What’s new in theaters, on streaming
July 11, 2025
Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows coming to theaters and…
Tom Holland says Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ is ‘the job of a lifetime’
July 11, 2025
Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty ImagesTom Holland has been enjoying his time filming Christopher…
Machine Gun Kelly spends a day at the museum with new ‘lost americana’ track, ‘vampire diaries’
July 11, 2025
EST 19XX/Interscope Records Machine Gun Kelly has premiered a new song called "vampire diaries," a…