Alec Baldwin Calls Lawsuit Filed by Halyna Hutchins' Family Over 'Rust' Shooting 'Especially Misguided'

Attorneys for the actor alleged Hutchins' parents and sister "have no viable cause of action against Defendants," requesting a dismissal of their lawsuit

Alec Baldwin is slamming a civil lawsuit brought against him by Halyna Hutchins' family.

The parents and sister of Hutchins — a cinematographer who was killed on the set of Baldwin's western film Rust in October 2021 when a prop gun he was holding that contained live rounds discharged — have filed the suit, which Baldwin, 65, is requesting a judge dismiss with prejudice.

"The loss of a daughter and sister is undoubtedly painful in any circumstance," lawyers for Baldwin wrote in court documents, dated Thursday and obtained by PEOPLE. "Yet Plaintiffs — who had been distanced from Halyna physically, financially and emotionally for years before her death — have no viable cause of action against Defendants. This action is especially misguided."

An attorney for Hutchins' parents and sister, Gloria Allred, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, "We are not surprised that Alec Baldwin is once again attempting to avoid responsibility for what he did."

"It is abundantly clear under New Mexico law, which will be applied in the California court, that he is responsible for all of the harm he did to the entirety of Halyna Hutchins' family," Allred added. "We are here to make sure that he is held accountable for his actions."

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Related: Everything to Know About Alec Baldwin's Rust Shooting Charges, and What Happens Next?

The fatal on-set shooting killed Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in the case. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is also facing similar charges.

During a hearing on March 9, one of Baldwin's attorneys claimed the gun used in the incident had been destroyed by the state, but the state said that was not the case.

"The gun Alec Baldwin used in the shooting that killed Halyna Hutchins has not been destroyed by the state. The gun is in evidence and is available for the defense to review," New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney spokesperson Heather Brewer told PEOPLE in a statement.

In addition to criminal charges and the civil lawsuit from Hutchins' parents and sister, Baldwin and the film's producers are also involved in another case, alleging negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, filed by three crew members.

As of February, Baldwin will no longer be facing years in prison over the death of Hutchins, after prosecutors dropped the firearms enhancement charge originally brought against the actor/producer. (The charge was also dropped against Gutierrez-Reed.)

RELATED VIDEO: Alec Baldwin Sees Charge Dropped in Rust Shooting, Faces Reduced Prison Sentence

Had Baldwin been convicted of the involuntary manslaughter and firearms enhancement charges, he would have faced a mandatory five years in jail. He still faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting — that crime would carry a lesser sentence of 18 months if convicted. The amended complaint was filed on Feb. 17.

"In order to avoid further litigious distractions by Mr. Baldwin and his attorneys, the District Attorney and the special prosecutor have removed the firearm enhancement to the involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set," Heather Brewer, spokesperson the Santa Fe District Attorney's Office, said in a statement on Feb. 20. "The prosecution's priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys."

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were previously charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to Hutchins' death on Jan. 31.

In a statement to PEOPLE on Jan. 19, Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel said the announcement of criminal charges against the actor "distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice."

"Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set," Nikas added. "He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win."

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