The Gun, the Bullet, and the Blame: A Deep Dive into the 'Rust' Set Lawsuit

It’s a story that, frankly, none of us can shake. That awful, awful day on the New Mexico set of “Rust” back in October, when a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin discharged, taking the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. And just when you might have thought the legal fallout couldn't get any more complicated, well, here we are: another lawsuit, another layer of accusation, pushing us deeper into the tangled web of blame and responsibility.

This time, the spotlight – or perhaps the crosshairs – is firmly on Seth Kenney and his company, PDQ Arm & Prop, LLC. Who’s bringing the fight, you ask? None other than the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and prop master, Sarah Zachry. Yes, the very individuals who, in some ways, found themselves on the defensive, are now taking the offensive, pointing a very serious finger at Kenney for what they allege was a catastrophic breach of trust.

And what, precisely, are they claiming? It’s chilling, really. The lawsuit, a document full of stark assertions, alleges that Kenney's company supplied a cache of rounds to the set that were — and this is the crux of it — supposedly all 'dummy' rounds. Safe, inert, you know? But, in truth, they were anything but. Instead, according to the legal filing, this shipment contained a dangerous, terrifying mix: actual live ammunition nestled amongst the blanks. Worse still, the plaintiffs argue Kenney outright misrepresented the contents, assuring them everything was harmless. Can you imagine that?

Now, to be clear, Gutierrez Reed and Zachry's lawsuit paints a picture of reliance; they depended on Kenney's word, on his assurances that the ammunition provided was indeed what it claimed to be. After all, isn't that a fundamental expectation when dealing with firearms, even prop ones, on a film set? The suit is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, hoping, I suppose, to hold someone truly accountable for the devastating consequences that unfolded.

But wait, there's a counter-narrative here, as you might expect. Seth Kenney, speaking to ABC News back in November, vehemently denied being the source of any live rounds. His defense? He insisted he only supplied dummy rounds. What’s more, he went so far as to suggest a rather dramatic alternative – that the presence of a live round was actually the result of 'sabotage' by a disgruntled crew member. A wild claim, you could say, but one that undeniably complicates an already heart-wrenching situation.

So, we have a clear clash of accounts, a real 'he said, they said' scenario playing out in the courts. This specific lawsuit, it must be said, is just one thread in a much larger tapestry of legal actions stemming from the 'Rust' tragedy. It underscores, rather painfully, the profound legal and emotional aftermath of that fateful day. And honestly, it leaves us wondering: as this tangled web continues to unravel, where will the ultimate responsibility finally land?