Father of cinematographer killed in 'Rust' prop-gun accident places blame not on Alec Baldwin, but on "Rust" prop team

A picture of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who was killed Thursday on the set of the film "Rust." — Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who was killed Thursday on the set of the film "Rust."
Halyna Hutchins

Halyna Hutchins' father bears no resentment against Alec Baldwin for the actor's role in his daughter's death.
Hutchins was killed in an accident on-set Thursday after Baldwin fired a prop gun, which shot and killed Hutchins and injured another.
Hutchins' father instead directed blame toward the prop's team on the set of 'Rust,' as the industry reexamines prop and firearm protocols in productions.

Father of late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins says he doesn't blame actor Alec Baldwin, who fired a prop gun on-set that killed Hutchins, for his daughter's death.

Anatoly Androsovych, who is ex-military in Ukraine, instead blamed the film's prop team for handing Baldwin a dangerous loaded weapon, he said in an interview with The Sun.

"We still can't believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief. But I don't hold Alec Baldwin responsible - it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns," Androsovych told the outlet.

Hutchins, 42, was killed on the set of Baldwin's western film 'Rust' after the actor accidentally fired a prop gun that shot Hutchins and "Rust" director Joel Souza, killing the former and injuring the latter. Baldwin was handed a prop gun by the assistant director Dave Halls, which was believed to be empty, but contained a "single live round."

Androsovych, Hutchins' mother Olga, and Hutchins' sister Svetlana were first informed of the accident by Hutchins' husband, Matthew. The family is currently organizing their visas to come to the US and support Hutchins' husband and nine-year-old son, Andros.

Andros has been very badly affected," Androsovych added. "He is lost without his mother."

"How was this negligence allowed by such a team of professionals? This is just such an absolutely absurd coincidence." Hutchins' sister told The Sun, blasting the film's props team. "I don't know where the investigation will lead, but there are so many guesses. God only knows what happened, it's just so incredibly hard to live through it. The only thing we want right now is to be there with my mum next to Halyna's husband and their son to make sure he feels our support."

Several crew members on the set of 'Rust' expressed concerns about gun safety on the set almost a week before the fatal accident. A crew member sent a message to the set's unit production manager, reviewed by the LA Times, which said the set already experienced three accidental gun discharges. This included an instance where Baldwin's stunt double accidentally fired two rounds of what he thought was a "cold" gun. Camera operators also walked off the set hours before Hutchins' accident to protest poor working conditions.

Matthew Hutchins previously told Insider there were "no words to communicate the situation."

Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) mourned the loss of Hutchins, who was seen as a "rising star" in the cinematography world. Filmmakers across the industry have also called for an end to using firearm blanks, which many have said are an "unnecessary risk."

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