Status: 04/21/2022 07:17 a.m
In October 2021, a camerawoman died while shooting a film with actor Alec Baldwin. She was injured by live ammunition shots. Authorities blame the producers and imposed a fine.
About six months after the fatal shooting of a camerawoman during a film shoot with Hollywood star Alec Baldwin, US authorities have imposed a large fine on the western’s producers. Baldwin himself also wanted to co-produce the film in which he was to play a leading role.
The responsible agency for occupational safety and health in the US state of New Mexico, where the western “Rust” was filmed, ordered a fine of the equivalent of around 126,000 euros against the production team. This is the maximum penalty that the authority can impose.
violations of security regulations
According to the months-long investigation by the occupational safety and health authorities, the producers violated the applicable safety regulations. The team disregarded safety protocols for the use of weapons. There should never have been live ammunition on the film set, some of the weapons were left unattended there. Actors pointed firearms at the cameras or at other people without consulting a weapons expert.
Disaster “could have been avoided”
The authority concludes that the “tragic incident” could have been avoided and accuses those responsible of “indifference” towards the film crew. The production company has “completely failed to follow recognized national rules that protect employees,” criticized New Mexico Environmental Cabinet Secretary James Kenney.
Stefan Friedman, spokesman for the production company Rust Movie Productions LLC, contradicted the findings of the investigation report. The company plans to appeal. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Halyna’s family,” Friedman added.
Police investigations are ongoing
Baldwin fired a gun loaded with live ammunition while filming at a Santa Fe movie ranch last October. It is still not clear how the real cartridges got into the gun. The 42-year-old camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was fatally injured in the shooting. Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shoulder.
The police are still investigating how the accident happened. Baldwin himself denied any responsibility. He did not know that there was live ammunition in the weapon intended as a prop. To date, none of the film’s contributors have been formally accused or even charged. However, the public prosecutor’s office does not rule out future steps of criminal prosecution. Hutchin’s family has sued Baldwin and other film contributors for damages.