Alec Baldwin is now being sued by the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was killed in an accidental fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust last October involving the actor, the family confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday (February 15).
TMZ obtained a lawsuit in which attorneys representing Hutchins’ family lists lapses in safety that led to the cinematographer’s death, which lists crew members who failed to treat the gun as if it was loaded prior to the 42-year-old’s death.
Baldwin is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which claims he was only four feet away from crew members and reached across his body to grab the revolver from its holster, drew back the weapon with a cross draw and aimed it directly at Hutchins before pulling back the firearm’s hammer.
Hutchins was struck by a bullet from a .45 Colt revolver being held by Baldwin, who has stated that the firearm unexpectedly discharged a live bullet when he released the hammer during filming.
Last month, Baldwin turned his phone over to police in connection to an ongoing investigation into the accidental shooting.
A spokesperson for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to CNN that Baldwin gave his phone to law enforcement officials in Suffolk County, New York — where he resides — who have assisted New Mexico — where the shooting took place — in locating the device.
“They will gather information off the phone and provide the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office with the evidence gathered,” said Santa Fe County Sheriff spokesperson Juan Rios via CNN. “The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office does not yet have physical possession of the data to be retrieved off the Baldwin phone,” Rios added, but noted “this is in process.”
In a post shared on his verified Instagram account on January 9, Baldwin addressed the issue of his cell phone in relation to the investigation.
“Any suggestion that I am not complying with requests or orders or demands or search warrants about my phone” is “a lie,” Baldwin said in the video while sitting behind the wheel of his vehicle.
