Film Armorer Blames Ammo Supplier in Deadly ‘Rust’ Shooting

The film set of "Rust", where Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun, is seen from a distance, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, October 23, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
The film set of "Rust", where Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun, is seen from a distance, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, October 23, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
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Film Armorer Blames Ammo Supplier in Deadly ‘Rust’ Shooting

The film set of "Rust", where Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun, is seen from a distance, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, October 23, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
The film set of "Rust", where Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun, is seen from a distance, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, October 23, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt

A new lawsuit accused an ammunition supplier Wednesday of creating dangerous conditions on a movie set where a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin killed a cinematographer, by including live ammunition in a box that was supposed to include only dummy rounds.

The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico state district court by Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer who oversaw firearms, ammunition and related training on the set of “Rust" along with two colleagues, The Associated Press reported. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on Oct. 21 from a gunshot wound during a “Rust” rehearsal at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe in northern New Mexico.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office that is leading an investigation into the cause of the death has said it is too soon to determine whether charges will be filed. Investigators have described “some complacency” in how weapons were handled on set.

The lawsuit from Gutierrez Reed places blame on ammunition supplier Seth Kenney and his company PDQ Arm & Prop for introducing live rounds to the set where only blanks and dummies were supposed to be present.

“The introduction of live rounds onto the set, which no one anticipated, combined with the rushed and chaotic atmosphere, created a perfect storm for a safety incident," the lawsuit states.

Kenney could not be reached for comment. He has said previously that he was sure his company did not send any live rounds to the set of “Rust.”

The lawsuit adds new details to the chain of custody for guns and ammunition on the “Rust” set on Oct. 21, describing the appearance of a new box of ammunition — presumed to be harmless dummy rounds with no explosive — shortly before a revolver was loaded and passed to Baldwin.

Baldwin has said he didn’t know the gun he was holding contained a live round when it went off while pointed at Hutchins. Investigators are trying to find where the live round came from, searching the Albuquerque premises of PDQ Arm & Prop in December.

The new lawsuit seeks damages at a jury trial on allegations of unfair trade practices, introducing dangerous products, and false labels and misrepresentation.

It states that authorities found on set "a suspected seven live rounds distributed inside the ammo box, on the ammo cart and in the bandoliers.”

The lawsuit also accuses Kenney of inserting himself in the investigations and attempting to implicate Gutierrez Reed.

Authorities recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition at the “Rust” movie set — a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and what appeared to be live rounds.

Authorities have issued a search warrant for Baldwin's phone, seeking text messages, images, videos, calls or any other information related to the movie.



Universal to Open First European Theme Park Near London

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech about the building in the UK of the first Universal theme park and resort in Europe by US media giant Comcast Corp during a visit to Bedford, north of London, on April 9, 2025. (AFP)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech about the building in the UK of the first Universal theme park and resort in Europe by US media giant Comcast Corp during a visit to Bedford, north of London, on April 9, 2025. (AFP)
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Universal to Open First European Theme Park Near London

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech about the building in the UK of the first Universal theme park and resort in Europe by US media giant Comcast Corp during a visit to Bedford, north of London, on April 9, 2025. (AFP)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech about the building in the UK of the first Universal theme park and resort in Europe by US media giant Comcast Corp during a visit to Bedford, north of London, on April 9, 2025. (AFP)

US media giant Comcast Corp has chosen an area north of London for its first Universal theme park and resort in Europe, pledging to build rides and attractions based on its movie franchises that it hopes will rival Disneyland Paris.

The group, which owns the Jurassic Park and Back to the Future movie franchises and the Harry Potter theme park license, said the park in Bedford would create 20,000 jobs during construction and a further 8,000 across the hospitality and creative industries when it opens in 2031.

It is expected to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year, a number currently only exceeded in Europe by Disneyland Paris to the east of the French capital.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and finance minister Rachel Reeves joined Comcast bosses to announce the theme park on Wednesday.

"This will drive growth here and across the country," Starmer said.

The Labor government has pledged to boost investment in infrastructure since it was elected last year, and Britain's economy needs fresh momentum after the highest tax-raising budget since 1993 in October dented business confidence.

The government has pledged to speed up planning decisions and the announcement comes after it approved the expansion of Luton Airport, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Universal site, boosting the area's international connectivity.

"This (theme park) is our 'Plan for Change' in action, bringing investment, bringing opportunity, growth, jobs and, of course, joy to Britain," Starmer said.

Universal has five resorts and parks, in the US states of California and Florida as well as in Singapore, Japan and China, offering rides and attractions based on its movie franchises.

Plans for the new site include a park, featuring several themed lands, a 500-room hotel and a retail, dining and entertainment complex.

Comcast President Mike Cavanagh showed Starmer the plan in London on Tuesday, saying he "could not be more excited" to create a Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the United Kingdom.

Comcast bought a 500-acre former brickworks in Bedfordshire, about 55 miles north of London, in 2023 and had been in talks with the government since last year. It already owns Sky, which is Europe's biggest pay-TV business.

The theme park and resort are subject to planning permission, the government said.