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The husband of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer shot and killed on the set of “Rust,” is recalling the moment he learned of her shooting.
In a sit-down interview that aired on Thursday, Matthew Hutchins revealed to “Today” co-anchor Hoda Kotb that a member of the production team informed him that his wife of 16 years had been shot.
“My heart sank right away,” Matthew said, adding that it was “completely inexplicable to me that it could have happened in that moment.”
“The first thing I thought was, ‘I have to be with my son,’” Hutchins continued.
Hoda Kotb interview with Matt Hutchins.
(Chris Haston/NBC)
The father of one, who is also an attorney, said he “rushed” home, and he and Halyna’s young son Andros, 9, traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the set was. Matthew said he was “heartbroken” when a doctor informed him Halyna didn’t survive. He said he was “very direct and blunt” with his son about the news because “I didn’t want him to think we were going to see her and be having fun together.”
“I told him that his mother had been shot and died, and of course, he didn’t believe it right away,” Matthew recalled. “He didn’t want to believe it.”
He said he had to inform his son of Halyna’s death multiple times. “So he believed it and we cried together then,” he said.
Matthew added that every holiday since Halyna’s passing have been difficult for the father and son.
Matthew was also asked about meeting Alec Baldwin and speaking with him in the days that followed the shooting. He recalls feeling “shock” at the time he communicated with Baldwin in New Mexico.
“There were a lot of emotions for sure, on both sides,” Matthew said.
Also in the interview, Halyna’s husband said he believes it’s absurd Baldwin, 63, won’t accept responsibility for her death.
“The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me,” Matthew explained.
“But gun safety was not the only problem on that set,” Hutchins added. “There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced and there’s multiple responsible parties.”
Hutchins was referring to an interview Baldwin did with ABC News, during which Baldwin spoke about what happened on the set of “Rust” Oct. 21.
The actor did not take responsibility for the death of Hutchins during the interview, although he detailed the moment the gun discharged while in his hand.
“Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but it’s not me,” Baldwin said at the time.
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Alec Baldwin has claimed he did not pull the trigger of the gun he was holding when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of “Rust.”
(Jeff Neira/ABC via Getty Images)
“Watching him I just felt so angry,” Hutchins told Kotb. “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.”
Lawyers filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Matthew Hutchins and his son Feb. 15. The lawsuit names as defendants Baldwin and others who “are responsible for the safety on the set” as well as “reckless behavior and cost-cutting” that led to the death of Halyna Hutchins, according to the family’s lawyers.
The Hutchins family is suing for punitive damages and funeral and burial expenses, among other costs to be determined at trial.
Matthew went on to say that Baldwin’s interview made it “almost” sound like he believes he was the victim.
The husband of Halyna Hutchins admitted he was “angry” when Alec Baldwin didn’t take responsibility for the cinematographer’s death during his tell-all ABC interview.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong | Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie)
“Hearing him blame Halyna in the interview and shift responsibility to others and seeing him cry about it, I just feel like, are we really supposed to feel bad about you, Mr. Baldwin?” the heartbroken husband said.
“Every individual who touches a firearm has a responsibility for gun safety. There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced,” he added, saying he believes there are “multiple responsible parties.”
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The Hutchins family lawsuit seeks to hold several accountable. Halyna’s husband said they’re pursuing justice “every way we can with the lawsuit, seeking to hold accountable people who are responsible for Halyna’s death, which was totally preventable.”
The American Film Institute has created a scholarship fund in Halyna’s name. Matthew says he wants her legacy as an artist to live.
Halyna Hutchins, right, lost her life after she was shot on the set of “Rust” in October 2021.
(Courtesy of Jupiter Makins)
“She would have been mentoring fellow cinematographers as a guiding light for others,” he added.
On her tombstone, an engraved quote reads, “Her light shapes our lives, Keep chasing your vision.”
“Thinking about how her light just permeates our lives and to be so inspired and ambitious…That really embodied her spirit,” Matthew concluded.
In addition to the Hutchins family lawsuit, other crew members who worked on the set of “Rust” have filed lawsuits of their own.
Baldwin’s attorney did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment.
