Alec Baldwin to face civil trial over alleged negligence in deadly ‘Rust’ shooting

By Meredith Deliso
April 17, 2026, 4:20 PM

Alec Baldwin will face trial in a civil case alleging he negligently fired a gun on the set of "Rust," killing the film's cinematographer, a judge ruled on Friday.

Serge Svetnoy, a gaffer on the New Mexico set who filed the complaint against Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, alleged that he suffered emotional distress due to the 2021 shooting.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter on Friday allowed two of Svetnoy's claims -- negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress -- to move forward.

"A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with his finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress," Leiter wrote in his summary judgment.

Regarding the negligence claim, Leiter wrote that while others were responsible for the safe handling and operation of a firearm on the set, that "does not relieve Mr. Baldwin of his duty of care" to Svetnoy.

Svetnoy also alleged that the bullet that fatally struck "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins narrowly missed him. Leiter dismissed Svetnoy's assault claim, finding that he did not present any evidence that Baldwin "intended to cause harm" to him or anyone else.

ABC News has reached out to Baldwin's attorneys for comment but had not yet received a response.