Rust gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed blames props supplier for deadly shooting

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The armorer of the ill-fated film “Rust” is suing a prop supplier, claiming that he sold live and dummy ammunition together, which resulted in the shooting death on the set of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed claims in a fiery 24-page lawsuit filed Wednesday that Seth Kenney, owner of PDQ Media Arm & Prop, made “false representations” and caused “the introduction of live tours on the set of New Mexico filming “.

The lawsuit alleges that another props assistant brought a new box of .45 caliber Long Colt cartridges from Kenney’s store on the day of the shooting, October 21. Gutierrez-Reed said she believed the cartridges in that box were empty, but no one has since recognized where the box came from.

Alec Baldwin learned that the gun was “cold,” indicating that the gun contained only dummy bullets, but an actual bullet inside the gun struck and killed Hutchins as she prepared a close-up. of the actor, depending on the costume. Director Joel Souza was also injured by the bullet after it came out of Hutchins’ body.

The “Rust” film set where the prop malfunction took place. AP / Jae C. Hong

Gutierrez-Reed said that on the day of the shooting, she and two other assistant assistants handled the guns in a safe. The gunsmith said she remembered cleaning the pistol used by Baldwin and placing what she thought was another round from the dummy ammo box.

“To the best of Hannah’s knowledge, the weapon was now loaded with 6 dummy cartridges,” according to the costume. “Indeed, the defendants, as suppliers of accessory ammunition to the Rust set, sold, distributed and advertised its accessories as dummy ammunition and not as live ammunition. Hannah relied on the fact that the defendants would only provide dummy, or blank props, ammunition, and that no real bullets should ever be on the set.

Gutierrez-Reed said she spun the cylinder for assistant director Dave Halls and showed him what she thought were empty loaded cartridges. The gunsmith said Halls told her the gun was not going to be used for a stage or rehearsal, so she left the gun inside the church while she attended to his other tasks outside.

Baldwin was told the gun was “cold,” marking it harmless before filming. AFP via Getty Images / Angela Weiss

Halls was supposed to alert the gunsmith if Baldwin or anyone else was using the gun because she had to re-inspect the gun according to the rules of the set, according to the lawsuit. About 15 minutes later, Gutierrez-Reed claims that Halls gave the gun to Baldwin and yelled “cold pistol”, which meant the gun was empty or contained blank cartridges.

The gunsmith was not inside the church when Baldwin practiced a cross-pulling motion from his shoulder holster and camera angles with Hutchins for an upcoming scene, the lawsuit said.

Gutierrez-Reed claimed no one alerted her that the actor was training with the gun, which Baldwin said “just died.”

“If Hannah had been called back, she would have re-inspected the weapon, and at every turn, and instructed Baldwin to safely practice the cross-draw, as was her usual practice,” the lawsuit said, adding that the gun had been out of his possession for more than 15 minutes.

So far, no criminal charges have been filed against anyone involved in the film.

“Hannah would never have let Baldwin point the gun at Halyna, as part of standard gun safety practices,” the lawsuit said. “Apparently no one inside the Church stopped Baldwin from doing it, including AD Halls.”

Gutierrez-Reed also alleged that Kenney tried to blame her and that the owner of the ammunition business tampered with the ongoing investigation.

So far, no criminal charges have been filed against any member of the crew or others involved in the production of the film.

Two other members of the team – lighting technician Serge Svetnoy and screenwriter Mamie Mitchell – have filed separate complaints against Baldwin, the producers and the companies in charge of the film.

Baldwin said last week he would comply with the investigation but has yet to turn his cell phone over to New Mexico Police.

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