Rust assistant director Dave Halls is countersuing Alec Baldwin and other Rust crew members, arguing that it was their “active and primary negligence” that caused the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Halls’ complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday (December 16th), is in response to litigation started by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell. She sued Baldwin along with 22 others, claiming that the loaded gun that was fired on set, killing Hutchens and injuring director Joel Souza, resulted from poor safety protocols.
Hall’s suit comes on the heels of another countersuit filed in November by Baldwin blaming armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, prop master Sarah Zachry and ammunition supplier Seth Kenney for the October 2021 shooting.
Hall argues in his filing that if Mitchell prevails in her lawsuit, Baldwin, Guitierrez-Reed, Zachry and Kenny should be held liable for his apportionment of the fault.
Lawsuits against Halls and others blame him for the shooting because he handled the gun shortly before the incident, handing it off to Baldwin.