A report issued by New Mexico state authorities on Wednesday blamed the producers of the movie “Rust” for security failures on the set that led to the death of a cinematographer, Alec Baldwin.
On October 21, on a farm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the American actor co-producing the film was testing a gun during rehearsal for a scene with Halina Hutchins, but a live bullet was fired from the weapon Baldwin thought was unloaded, fatally wounding the cinematographer.
Police have yet to file criminal charges but do not rule out doing so, including for Alec Baldwin.
The Environment Agency in New Mexico, in the southwestern United States, conducted its own investigation into a civil file related to hygiene and safety rules at the filming location.
The authority noted that the producers of “Rust” showed “a clear disregard for the risks associated with firearms through the systematic failure to implement their safety protocols.”
The report pointed out that those in charge of the work did not do enough “to ensure that the Department of Lethal Weapons is given the time and attention necessary to preserve the safety of the work teams.”
And the state of New Mexico imposed on the producers a civil fine of 136 thousand and 793 dollars, with the writing of a seizure report on the background of committing a deliberate error.
This is the highest fine that can be imposed under state laws, the New Mexico Environment Agency said in a statement.
In parallel, the criminal investigation not linked to this decision is continuing.
Rust Movie Productions spokesman Stephen Friedman said in a statement that the producers intend to appeal the report.
“While we appreciate the time and effort the Environment Agency has put in…we disagree with its findings and intend to appeal,” he wrote.
The family of Helena Hutchins filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and the film’s producers, as well as other civil lawsuits.
Alec Baldwin said he was told by the shooting officials that the gun he used did not contain live ammunition, that the victim, Helena Hutchins, told him to aim at her, and that he did not pull the trigger when the fatal shot was fired.
“I have a feeling that someone is responsible for what happened, and I don’t know who it is. But I’m not responsible,” he said last December.