Rust armorer needed more time to check guns, says OSHA

The tragic Rust shooting that left cinematographer Halayna Hutchins dead could’ve been avoided had armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had more time, an OSHA investigator testified earlier today. OSHA investigator Lorenzo Montoya, the first witness called by the defense, blamed the shooting on the rushed production, believing that Gutierrez-Reed could not be expected to “conduct her duties to the best of diligence.” Per Variety, Montoya stated that Gutierrez-Reed had no “authority” to make decisions about gun safety on set, violating industry safety rules.

“The employer is asking an individual to perform multiple safety-related functions for them while also telling them that they’re spending too much time engaging in those safety-related functions,” said Montoya.

Gutierrez-Reed’s defense focuses on the assertion that she has been scapegoated for the lack of oversight by producers, including Alec Baldwin. Ultimately, OSHA blames managers who failed to follow complaints of accidental discharges or even create an atmosphere where gun safety is taken seriously. “They adopted firearms safety policies, but they totally failed to enforce them, train their employees on them, practice them, reference them,” said Montoya.

The prosecution refuted the claim that Gutierrez-Reed lacked time, though. Prosecutors argued that the production started late that day, allowing Gutierrez-Reed to check the guns on set. Prosecutors also took some swings at OSHA, which they pointed out are not firearms experts.

Among the many tragic failures that led to the Rust shooting, the idea that anyone would be rushed into production without adequately checking the gun’s rounds is among the most distressing. As previously reported, Gutierrez-Reed testified that first assistant director Dave Halls told her, “We don’t have enough time” for a weapons check on the gun that killed Hutchins. Hall took a plea deal for six months of unsupervised probation. Additionally, this was Gutierrez-Reed’s first solo armorer job. However, she was not the first choice. Numerous more experienced armorers turned the job down because they were also expected to act as prop assistants, which was deemed “completely unsafe” in such a production. This brings us back to OSHA’s point: On-set gun safety isn’t the place to rush or get cheap on. Had there been “enough time” for a gun check, there’s a chance none of this would have happened.

Closing arguments in the case are expected tomorrow.