'Rust' shooting victim husband 'angry' as Baldwin denies blame

By AFP - Feb 25,2022 - Last updated at Feb 25,2022

Actor Alec Baldwin (pictured April 2019) was brandishing a Colt gun during a rehearsal for the film 'Rust' when it discharged a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (AFP photo by Angela Weiss)

Los Angeles — The husband of the "Rust" crew member shot dead by Alec Baldwin on a movie set said he holds the US actor responsible and was "so angry" to see him denying blame.

Baldwin was holding a Colt gun during a rehearsal for the low-budget Western in New Mexico in October when it discharged a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Matt Hutchins told NBC's Today program "the idea that the person holding the gun, causing it to discharge, is not responsible, is absurd to me."

"But gun safety was not the only problem on that set. There were a number of industry standards that were not practised and there's multiple responsible parties," he said in an excerpt, released ahead of the full interview Thursday.

Baldwin, who was the star and a producer on "Rust," has said he was told the gun contained no live ammunition, had been instructed by Hutchins to point the gun in her direction, and did not pull the trigger.

In December, Baldwin told ABC that he does not feel guilty for Hutchins' death.

"I feel that someone is responsible for what happened and I can't say who that is. But I know it's not me," said Baldwin.

Asked about Baldwin's interview, Matt Hutchins said: "Watching him, I just felt so angry.

"I was just so angry to see him talk about her death so publicly, in such a detailed way, and then to not accept any responsibility after having just described killing her."

Baldwin's lawyers did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Last week, Matt Hutchins filed a lawsuit against Baldwin and other "Rust" producers claiming "substantial" damages for his wife's wrongful death.

Hutchins' lawyer in a press conference alleged that "reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures" had led to her death.

It is the latest in a flurry of civil lawsuits over the tragedy.

A criminal investigation is also on going.

Investigators have not filed criminal charges over the tragedy, but have refused to rule them out against anyone involved, including Baldwin.

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