Alec Baldwin, Rust Producers Face Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Tragic Halyna Hutchins Incident

The family of Halyna Hutchins has filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and seven other producers of the tragic independent western Rust.

Despite his claims that he did not fire the gun on the fatal on-set shooting of 42-year-old cinematographer Hutchins, Baldwin has been continuously linked to the tragedy. He's tried to distance himself from the incident in recent months, but he's been slapped with lawsuits.

A Scene was being Rehearsed at the Time of the Incident

Hutchins was behind the camera, filming a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside of Santa Fe for a Western picture. Baldwin, the lead actor, is accused of pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal, according to the lawsuit.

The gun, which was loaded with a live bullet, went off, killing her and injuring Joel Souza, the film's director. Baldwin has claimed that he was unaware that the gun was loaded with live bullets and that he did not intend for it to fire.

"I didn't pull the trigger," Baldwin told ABC News in December. "I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them. Never."

The Lawsuit Claims Baldwin and Others were Negligent

During a news conference, the Hutchins' family attorneys stated that they conducted their own investigation into the incident and provided a vivid, animated video of what they claimed occurred. They argue, among other things, that Baldwin refused cross draw gun safety instructions and did not use a rubber or other type of prop gun, both of which are industry standards.

The team had major safety concerns, according to the attorneys in the video, and several of them had walked off the job before the shooting. The video also included emails and text messages from crew members complaining about weapons being discharged during filming.

The Santa Fe Sheriff's Department is still investigating the incident, but New Mexico authorities have stated that there was "some complacency" in the handling of guns on the Rust set. For more information, they sought a warrant for Baldwin's cellphone, which he turned in three months after the shooting.

This is Baldwin's second lawsuit, following a negligence suit filed by the film's gaffer, Serge Svetnoy, in November. Svetnoy claims he endured emotional distress when the gunshot nearly hit him and he cradled Hutchins in his arms as she died.

Baldwin has recently returned to work on a new project for the first time since the filming of Rust, but production on the film seems unlikely to resume.