Alec Baldwin is among more than two dozen individuals and businesses named as defendants in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed Tuesday by the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchhins, who was fatally shot in October on the set of the movie Rust.
According to a report by the Santa Fe New Mexican, the complaint says that “Halyna Hutchins deserved to live” and that the defendants had the power to prevent her death, if they had only carried out their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present.
Instead, the complaint says corners were cut on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing in order to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Hutchins was struck and killed by a bullet that discharged from a revolver Baldwin was holding during rehearsal.
The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Hutchins’ husband and the couple's 9-year-old son alleges negligence and reckless conduct. It is seeking compensation for Hutchins’ suffering and death, her loss of income, funeral and burial costs, and punitive damages.