The family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has hit Alec Baldwin with a lawsuit over her death on the set of the film Rust.
In a news conference on Tuesday, attorney Brian Panish announced a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Hutchins' family naming Baldwin and "others who were responsible for the safety on the set and whose reckless behavior and cost-cutting led to" Hutchins' "senseless and tragic death," per The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
In October, a prop gun Baldwin was holding discharged on the Rust set in New Mexico, fatally wounding Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The actor has said he was not aware the gun contained a live round, and he has also denied pulling the trigger. "Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who that is, but I know it's not me," Baldwin told ABC News.
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Attorneys for Hutchins' family alleged Baldwin and others disregarded industry safety standards on the set of the film and cut costs, leading to the fatal shooting. They also said that Baldwin should have personally confirmed the gun didn't contain any live rounds. Hutchins is survived by her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their 9-year-old son.
"He wants answers," Panish said of Matthew Hutchins. "He wants closure. ... He was a great husband to Halyna, and it's tragic that this happened to him and his son. It never, ever should have happened."
Numerous lawsuits have previously been filed in the wake of the shooting, including by the film's script supervisor, but Baldwin was not previously facing litigation from Hutchins' family. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department is continuing to investigate the case, but Baldwin said he has been told he's unlikely to face charges. Panish said Hutchins' family is seeking "substantial" damages.
