Alec Baldwin has remained relatively quiet since the tragic shooting on the set of Rust last fall, which took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Early on in the investigation, Baldwin was notoriously uncooperative with authorities, insisting he wasn’t guilty, but not giving up his phone for evidence.
Now, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau have found that Baldwin was innocent in the matter, saying that he was not responsible for the errors that caused the shooting. The actor posted a poorly cropped notes app statement on his Instagram from his attorney:
We are grateful to the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau for investigating this matter. We appreciate that the report exonerates Mr. Baldwin by making clear that he believed the gun held only dummy rounds. Additionally, the report recognizes that Mr. Baldwin’s authority on the production was limited to approving script changes and creative casting. 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.
Despite being cleared by the New Mexico OHSB, Baldwin still faces a wrongful death lawsuit from Hutchins’ husband. The set’s armorer has also sued the ammo supplier that provided the live rounds.
Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust in October. Baldwin was allegedly holding the gun at the time, though he insisted he did not pull the trigger. Baldwin was seen heading back to work in February for the first time since the incident. Meanwhile, the lawyer representing Hutchins’ estate believes Baldwin’s refusal to take accountability is “shameful.“
