Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed released a statement today saying Alec Baldwin never called her to inspect the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last October.
According to Gutierrez Reed, all actors on set “had a duty and responsibility” to have her check firearms and give safety instructions before filming gun scenes. But no one “called [her] into the Church before the impromptu gun scene rehearsal.”
Per CNN, the statement noted that the armorer had no idea that the cast and crew were working with a gun that day. And because of that, Baldwin was in charge of everyone’s safety.
Furthermore, Gutierrez Reed believes that Alec Baldwin acted out of negligence.
“Mr. Baldwin knew that he could never point a firearm at crew members under any circumstances and had a duty of safety to his fellow crew members,” she said. “Yet he did point the gun at Halyna before the fatal incident against all rules and common sense.”
The statement came as a response to Baldwin’s legal filing on Friday. In it, the actor claimed he asked Hutchins if he should cock the gun. And she said yes.
“Baldwin tipped the gun down somewhat so that the lens of the camera would be able to focus on his hand’s action on the top of the gun,” the document, which was obtained by CNN, read.
“While performing this action, Baldwin asked Hutchins, ‘Am I holding it too far down?’ and ‘Do you see that?’ Hutchins responded that she could see Baldwin’s action from her angle. Baldwin then pulled back the hammer, but not far enough to actually cock the gun,” the filing continues. “When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off.”
The ‘Rust’ Armorer and Hutchins Family Belive That Alec Baldwin is Avoiding Liabiliy
Just as the Rust armorer stated, the Hutchins family also believes that Alec Baldwin knew better than to point a weapon at a crew member.
During an interview with the Today Show, Halyna’s husband, Matt Hutchins, said that Baldwin did not follow reasonable safety precautions on set. And he added that he is “so angry” that Baldwin refuses to accept responsibility for his wife’s death.
“The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me,” he told Hoda Kotb.
The interview came two months after the actor told ABC News that “someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is. But it’s not me.”
That interview was the first time that Baldwin publically stated that Halyna Hutchins told him to point the prop gun at her before the misfire.
“Hearing him blame Halyna in the interview and shift responsibility to others and seeing him cry about it,” Matt said in response. “I just feel — are we really supposed to feel bad about you, Mr. Baldwin?”
