New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau fined the “Rust” movie production company Wednesday.
The regulators issued the maximum possible fine against the production company after producer and actor Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021, according to the Associated Press. The $139,793 fine relates to firearms safety failures, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Alec Baldwin And Wife Expecting 7th Child Together)
“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,” Bureau chief for occupational safety Bob Genoway told AP. The bureau noted that production managers took limited or no action after two misfires had occurred on the “Rust” set in the lead up to the fatal shooting, AP continued.
BREAKING: New Mexico issues maximum possible fine against a film production company for firearms safety failures on the set of “Rust” where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot in October 2021 by actor and producer Alec Baldwin. https://t.co/yEXlBjfb4L
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 20, 2022
The latest statement confirms that Baldwin was handed a large-caliber revolver by director David Halls, who did not consult the on-set weapons specialist during or after the gun was loaded, AP reported. Baldwin has repeatedly denied pulling the trigger on the revolver and said he does not feel guilt for murdering Hutchins.
After examining hundreds of documents, conducting at least a dozen interviews with cast and crew, and dedicating 1,500 staff hours to the investigation, secretary of the Environment Department that oversees occupational safety James Kenny said, “This tragedy, this loss of life, it could have been prevented, and we want people to say something.”
The production company did not develop any process to ensure live rounds were not brought on set, AP noted. “Management was provided with multiple opportunities to take corrective actions and chose not to do so. As a result of these failures, Director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were severely injured. Halyna Hutchins succumbed to her injuries,” the report states, according to AP. Separate investigations into criminal charges are still underway, AP noted.