Yahoo Movies ‘Rust’ Shooting Under Investigation By New Mexico Occupational Health & Safety Bureau
The accidental shooting Thursday on the New Mexico set of Rust, which took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza, is being investigated by the state’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau, which can impose civil penalties for workplace accidents even if law enforcement determines that no crime occurred.
“Our state OSHA program is investigating this,” Rebecca Roose, deputy cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department,” told Deadline on Friday. “The state takes all workplace safety issues very seriously and will work diligently through our investigation of this tragic fatality.”
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“On Thursday evening, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) learned through the New Mexico Film Office of a workplace fatality and an injury to a second person that occurred during filming on a movie set in Santa Fe County,” the bureau said in a statement posted on its website. “The production company reported the fatality and injury to OHSB last night, in accordance with workplace safety laws. OHSB is investigating the incident in coordination with law enforcement, the employer, and employees. No additional information will be released at this time, pending completion of the investigation.”
Hutchins was accidentally killed, and Souza was injured, by a weapon discharged by the film’s star, Alec Baldwin, while filming on location at the Bonanza Creek Ranch just outside Santa Fe. The incident is also being investigated by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office, and by the state’s top prosecutor, First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.
Carmack-Altwies told Deadline that “This case is still in its preliminary states of investigation,” and that “At this time, we do not know if charges will be filed. We will look into all facts and evidence of the case with great discretion and have further information at a later time.”
Rust‘s production company, Rust Movie Productions, LLC told Deadline on Friday that it “will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down. We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time.”
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