In the wake of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death on the set of Rust, her father has announced he doesn’t blame star Alec Baldwin for what happened. Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured in the Oct. 21 on-set incident in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after Baldwin discharged a prop gun that he had been told was safe by the movie’s prop team.
The Sun quoted Hutchins’ father, former military man Anatoly Androsovych, revealing that he doesn’t hold Baldwin responsible for the incident — but he does consider the props team fully culpable for handing the actor what turned out to be a loaded weapon.
“We still can’t believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief,” Androsovych said. “But I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns. [Halyna’s son] has been very badly affected — he is lost without his mother.”
Androsovych told The Sun that he is now attempting to organize visas for his wife Olga and daughter Svetlana so they can travel to the US to visit and support Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, and her nine-year-old son Andros.
Hutchins’ younger sister Svetlana has also spoken out on the incident, slamming the “negligence” of the production team.
“How was this negligence allowed by such a team of professionals? This is just such an absolutely absurd coincidence. I don’t know where the investigation will lead, but there are so many guesses. God only knows what happened, it’s just so incredibly hard to live through it. The only thing we want right now is to be there with my mum next to Halyna’s husband and their son to make sure he feels our support.”
The incident took place after Baldwin was passed the prop gun by assistant director Dave Halls, who himself had been informed that the weapon was harmless. Hutchins was struck in the chest after Baldwin fired, with director Souza getting wounded as he stood behind her. Baldwin himself released a statement in response to the tragic accident on social media a day later. He said “there are no words” to convey his “shock and sadness,” labeling it a “tragic accident.”
Androsovynch’s belief that Baldwin is not to blame is one shared by the authorities as no charges have been filed against the actor, with a sheriff’s spokesperson calling him “a free man.” It’s clear that there had been shoddy working conditions on Rust since production began, however, as multiple crew members reportedly walked off set just hours before Hutchins’ death over unsafe environments, low pay, and long hours.
