Alec Baldwin accidentally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust four years ago, and he’s now facing legal action. Seth Kenney, whose company supplied the prop guns and blanks for the film, has now filed a lawsuit against Baldwin and others. He claims that they have used him as a “scapegoat.”
Seth Kenney files lawsuit against Alec Baldwin
Seth Kenney, owner of PDQ Arm & Prop, the company that supplied prop guns and blanks to Alec Baldwin’s Rust, has filed a lawsuit against the actor and the others involved in the production.
In an interview with Variety, Kenney described the last four years as “devastating.” He added, “It’s not a matter of saving face. There’s nothing left to lose. This whole thing has been s— and I have been the scapegoat.”
During a rehearsal scene on October 21, 2021, Baldwin accidentally shot a loaded gun that fatally injured cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Kenny’s filing comes four years after this tragic incident.
Following the incident, the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and served 14 months in prison. Baldwin was also put on trial, though his case was dismissed since some of the evidence was reportedly withheld.
Meanwhile, the film’s production sued Kenny over the incident on multiple occasions, insisting on his participation in the incident.
However, Kenny shared that the “last straw” was when Baldwin filed a lawsuit against New Mexico officials in January 2025, citing that the detectives did not investigate the case promptly and were working with Kenny to clear his name. Kenny admitted that he felt confused about why the production company was trying to “paint” him as a “villain.”
In the lawsuit, Kenny has named Baldwin and other members of the production, accusing them of “cutting corners.” He writes that his “firearm rental property was in good working order.” He added that it was “under the provisions of the strict safety guidelines and practices.” Kenny further writes that the production “violated the rental agreement by allowing the loading, illegal concealment, and discharge of a live round of ammunition.” (via PEOPLE)
Additionally, he alleges that Bladwin “failed to participate in an inspection of the gun.” He also writes that Gutierrez-Reed started “this deadly snowball” by mixing a live bullet among the props.
As a result of all this, Kenny claims to have suffered “ruinous financial losses, injury to reputation within the film community and public at large, severe emotional distress, and significant loss of past, present, and future financial income.”
Originally reported by Harsha Panduranga on Comingsoon.
