Almost four months after Alec Baldwin’s tragic prop gun misfire on the set of Rust that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the production has more legal trouble ahead. Following a number of other lawsuits being filed against Baldwin and the team involved in making the western, yet another member of the crew has decided to sue her former co-workers.
The key medic on Rust, Cherlyn Schaefer, has decided to file a lawsuit against the movie’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed alongside its assistant director Dave Halls, its prop master Sarah Zachry and the production company. Schaefer is claiming the incident caused her severe emotional distress in the months following, per court documents obtained by TMZ.
Cherlyn Schaefer has shared that she was allegedly the first person to provide medical assistance to Halyna Hutchins after she was shot by a prop gun Alec Bladwin misfired on the set of Rust, that was loaded in a live round. Schaefer claims that she was “desperately” fighting to save the cinematographer’s life by applying pressure to her wounds along with giving her oxygen and checking her vitals. The medic says she is the one who called 911 and ordered the medical helicopter to arrive to set and airlift Hutchins, who died after arriving at the hospital.
Schaefer is suing numerous members of the Rust crew under the reasoning that she has since suffered "tremendous shock, trauma and severe emotional distress" due to the production’s negligence. She is now apparently medically prevented from returning to her profession as a set medic or any other job due to the trauma of the incident and is seeking unspecified damages.
Unlike the other Rust lawsuits, Cherlyn Schaefer is not suing Alec Baldwin, who was holding the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins. She is holding the armorer and the assistant director accountable for giving Baldwin the gun that had a live round and in turn killed Hutchins and caused Schaefer harm. In reference to including the movie’s prop master, Schaefer claims that she knew or should have known the gun was armed with harmful ammunition as well.
Schaefer’s lawsuit follows chief of lighting, Serge Svetnoa, who decided to take legal action back in November. The film’s script supervisor Mamie Mitchell is also suing Alec Baldwin and the producers of Rust, claiming that the 30 Rock actor played “Russian Roulette with a loaded gun” by not checking it prior to handling it on set.
Rust’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has additionally filed a lawsuit against the gun supplier for Rust as the investigation continues. The incident has certainly led to a larger reaction and conversation from Hollywood’s finest about on-set safety. We’ll keep you posted on the developments in the Rust investigation following the former upcoming movie becoming the subject of a major controversial incident.
