ALEC Baldwin’s film set- the Bonanza Creek Ranch- was previously accused of negligence after a 2006 shooting left a man with a “permanent injury,” more than a decade before the actor accidentally shot and killed a crew member there last week.
In court documents exclusively obtained by The Sun, Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was accused of negligence by a band member at an event where booze was allegedly flowing – and firearms were out and loaded.
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The 2006 complaint took aim at the ranch and several other defendants including defendant Shawn Caffrey who “was an employee/ member/ agent of Ye Old West and Ye Old World Living History Foundation and was hired as a re-enactor of Old West quick draw gunfights who performed at the event.”
While “Plaintiff Sean Helean was contracted to provide live entertainment, consisting of singing and playing instruments at the event,” at the ranch, the suit continued.
As the night wore on, the lawsuit alleged that while “Sean Helean was setting up his band equipment to perform, Shawn Caffrey, who was allowed to retain possession of his firearm and to drink alcohol, even though his firearm was visible, in a drunken state fired a pistol next to Sean Helean’s ear.”
In the lawsuit, Sean Helean and his wife Wendy were suing Bonanza Creek Ranch, Ye Old West and Ye Old World Living History Foundation, as well as Sean Caffery after Helean suffered “immediate and permanent injury” from the weapon discharging next to his ear.
The Heleans asked the court to grant them an undisclosed amount in damages from the defendants for their pain and suffering.
The case was dismissed with prejudice after the parties negotiated a settlement agreement.
Earlier on Monday, newly released document revealed that Baldwin, who fatally shot Halyna Hutchins, 42, after reportedly being handed a loaded gun, was rehearsing with the firearm at a mock church at Bonanza Creek Ranch.
According to an affidavit issued on Sunday, film director Joel Souza recounted to investigators working on the case that he heard the phrase “cold-gun” as he prepped the scene, the New York Post reported.
The phrase is supposed to confirm that the weapon was safe to shoot and not loaded with live rounds.
The affidavit, which was used to obtain a warrant, was released by Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Styleheavens explains.
As per the document, Souza revealed he had no recollection of whether the “revolver” was actually checked after a lunch break prior to the tragic incident that took place on October 21, 2021.
Souza explained that the firearms on the film set normally go through a safety check process: Armorer Hanna Gutierrez-Reed checks the guns first, followed by assistant director Dave Halls.
Cameraman Reid Russell, another witness of the fatal Rust shooting mishap said, also opened up about what happened.
The warrant states: “[Russell] said while preparing, there was a shadow coming from the outside light and they had to move the camera at a different angle from Alec.
“He said Alec was trying to explain how he was going to draw out the firearm and where his arm would be at when the firearm was pulled from the holster.”
Read our Alec Baldwin shooting live blog for the very latest news and updates…
“[Russell] was not sure why the firearm was discharged and just remembered the loud bang from the firearm,” the warrant adds about the shooting which left Souza injured with a bullet to his right shoulder.
According to the document, Russell remembered seeing Souza with “blood on his person” and Hutchins “unable to feel her legs.”
He also noted that the incident was not caught on film.
Also in the affidavit, Detective Kano wrote: “Joel [Russell] said there should never be any life rounds, near or around the scene.”
As Kano was told about how the shooting went down, according to Russell, he was told Baldwin was talking about how he would be taking out the gun when the prop gun went off.
Baldwin was “very careful” with the prop gun, according to Russell, who recalled the actor pushing for safety on the Rust set.
When Baldwin pulled the prop gun’s trigger Hutchins yelled “she couldn’t feel her legs.”
Baldwin was told the weapon was “cold” and wasn’t aware it was loaded when he fired it, killing Hutchins and injuring writer-director Souza.
The actor’s tragic shooting followed one of many safety concerns raised by crew members on the film’s New Mexico set.
And the assistant director on Rust, Dave Halls, had a record of “unsafe practices” on set, a prop maker has claimed.
Maggie Goll, who worked on Hulu’s Into the Dark anthology series in February 2019, said Halls “did not maintain a safe working environment.”
Meanwhile, Santa Fe detective Joel Cano recounted in his report that Souza said: “he was looking over the shoulder of Halyna when he heard what sounded like a whip and then a loud pop.”
“Joel then vaguely remembers Halyna complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection,” he wrote.
“Joel also said Halyna began to stumble backwards and she was assisted to the ground.
“Joel explained that he was bleeding from his shoulder and he could see blood on Halyna.”
In addition to “unsafe practices” being reported, the deadly shooting came just hours after Rust crew members stormed off set.
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