Seth Kenney, the proprietor of PDQ Arm and Prop, vehemently refuted allegations Monday that he was the source of live rounds on the “Rust” movie set when the cinematographer was fatally shot.

His company, which supplied firearms, blanks, and dummy ammunition for the film, has come under scrutiny following the tragic shooting incident in October 2021.

Under oath, Mr. Kenney detailed the careful measures he took to confirm the safety of the supplies he provided for the movie’s production. He described how he “individually rattled the dummies” to guarantee each unit had BBs embedded — signifying their incapacity to be discharged as live ammunition.

“I have never sent out any dummy round that doesn’t rattle,” Mr. Kenney said. “Unless it rattles, it’s not to be trusted.”

His testimony came on the eighth day of the involuntary manslaughter trial of Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer for “Rust.”  Ms. Gutierrez Reed faces charges for purportedly loading a live round into the firearm handled by actor Alec Baldwin. 

The ensuing discharge of the weapon led to the death of the movie’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and wounded director Joel Souza.

During an intense cross-examination, defense attorney Jason Bowles shed light on the presence of “reloaded” ammunition that Mr. Kenney had previously acquired from the set of the “Yellowstone” spinoff “1883.”

When questioned, Mr. Kenney admitted to keeping the live rounds in a bin clearly labeled “live ammunition” at his Albuquerque-based business premises, in an area designated for bathroom storage.

“I’ve got self-defense ammunition,” said Mr. Kenney, referring to the city’s safety. “It’s Albuquerque after all. That’s enough right there.”

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