Actor Alec Baldwin said the latest report from the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau exonerates him from the on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
“We are grateful to the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau for investigating this matter,” Baldwin’s attorney said in a statement, posted to the actor’s Instagram. “We appreciate the report exonerates Mr. Baldwin by making clear that he believed the gun held only dummy rounds.”
The Daily Wire reported Wednesday that the New Mexico workplace safety regulators fined Rust Movie Productions $136,793 and issued a “scathing” review of the company’s safety practices, according to the Associated Press.
“What we had, based on our investigators’ findings, was a set of obvious hazards to employees regarding the use of firearms and management’s failure to act upon those obvious hazards,” New Mexico Occupational Safety and Health Administration Chief Bob Genoway told the AP.
Baldwin’s statement went on to say the actor had no control over safety issues on the set, though he was also a producer of the film.
“Additionally, the report recognizes that Mr. Baldwin’s authority on the production was limited to approving script changes and creative casting,” the statement said. “Mr. Baldwin had no authority over the matters that were the subject of the Bureau’s findings of violations, and we are pleased that the New Mexico officials have clarified these critical issues.”
“We are confident that the individuals identified in the report will be held accountable for this tragedy,” the statement closed.
Back in October, a person who allegedly witnessed the fatal incident came forward to detail what happened. According to the witness, it was one bullet, potentially real ammunition, that discharged from the gun during the accident.
“[T]he bullet went straight through the body of DP Halyna Hutchins and into the clavicle of the film’s director Joel Souza,” Showbiz411 reported at the time. “Very quickly the set was locked down. Ambulance and helicopters arrived. Hutchins and Souza were sent straight to the hospital. Hutchins died en route in a helicopter.”
Baldwin was apparently on the ground, “in shock but composed.”
The witness said the actor repeatedly asked why he was given a “hot gun.” As noted by the outlet, a “hot gun” is a gun with real ammunition.
“In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun,” Baldwin reportedly said.
“Whatever happened on the set, Alec Baldwin certainly didn’t intend for this outcome,” the report said.
Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas denied in a court filing that his client shouldered any responsibility for the incident, The Daily Wire noted.
Hutchins’ family has filed a lawsuit against the actor and have said through an attorney that Baldwin is in “complete denial” over the incident.
View this post on Instagram
Related: New Mexico Fines ‘Rust’ Production Company Max Penalty Over Alec Baldwin-Involved Shooting
Related: ‘Material And Relevant’: Search Warrant Issued For Alec Baldwin’s Phone Over Fatal ‘Rust’ Shooting