LOS ANGELES — A judge has ruled that actor Alec Baldwin will face a civil trial over the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of the film “Rust,” allowing a lawsuit alleging negligence to move forward.
The case was brought by Serge Svetnoy, a gaffer who was present during the incident and says he suffered emotional distress after witnessing the shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter determined that a jury could reasonably find Baldwin acted recklessly, rejecting efforts to dismiss key claims in the lawsuit.
The incident occurred in October 2021, when a prop revolver held by Baldwin discharged a live round, killing Hutchins and wounding Souza.
Baldwin was holding a Pietta .45 Colt revolver when it fired, though he has consistently maintained that he did not pull the trigger. Investigations and court proceedings have focused on how the weapon could have discharged while in his hand.
At the time, Baldwin had been practicing a “cross-draw” maneuver when the gun fired, fatally striking Hutchins and injuring Souza.
In a December 2021 interview, Baldwin stated, “The trigger wasn’t pulled… I didn’t pull the trigger.” He claimed he only pulled the hammer back and it fired when he released it.
However, an FBI forensic report concluded that the revolver could not have been fired without a trigger pull while the hammer was in various cocked positions, assuming internal components were functional.
A second firearms analysis commissioned by special prosecutors also concluded that the trigger “had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently” for the gun to fire.
Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed with prejudice in July 2024 because the prosecution withheld evidence from the defense. He cannot be retried on these criminal charges.
Despite that dismissal, multiple civil lawsuits have continued, including Svetnoy’s claim that Baldwin’s actions caused emotional distress.
Other related cases have already been resolved, including a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Hutchins’ family, which was settled in 2023.
The civil trial is currently scheduled to begin in October 2026, though legal experts note the case could still be settled before reaching a jury.
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The gun was in HIS hand.
He didn’t follow proper safety procedures ( don’t EVER point a gun at anything that isn’t the target ).
The gun was said to be properly functioning ( the trigger MUST be squeezed for it to fire. His finger HAD to be on the trigger ).
He was playing with a gun without first making sure that it wasn’t loaded ( always standard procedure ).
Guns are not toys, they are tools. They shouldn’t EVER be ‘played with’ ( also standard procedure ).
Since he has always announced to the world in general that he’s against guns, what was he doing with one?
He obviously doesn’t/didn’t respect a gun’s power ( he’s someone who doesn’t know what is standard knowledge about proper gun usage, and when to NOT use a gun ).
He handled a gun … he shouldn’t have been NEAR one!
Also … no one even tried to sue the manufacturer for a substandard gun. That ‘tells’ us something!