According to Alec Baldwin's lawyer, the state's Rust shooting investigation exonerates the actor

In response to the findings of New Mexico's Occupational Health and Safety Bureau, Alec Baldwin's attorneys stated in a statement that his authority on the production was fixed to approving script changes and creative casting also that he had no control over the matters under investigation.

A lawyer for Alec Baldwin tell on Thursday that a New Mexico investigation cleared his client of wrongdoing in the catastrophic shooting on the set of Rust, noting that the report stated the actor thought his gun held only dummy rounds.

The findings of a 6-month investigation into the shooting during the filming of the Western movie last October were released on Wednesday by New Mexico's Occupational Health and Safety Bureau. It chastised Rust Movie Productions LLC for "willful" safety lapses that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins also fined the company $137,000, the maximum amount imposed.

In response to the findings, Baldwin's attorneys stated that his authority over the production was limited to approving script changes and creative casting. He had no control over the matters under investigation.

"We respect that the news exonerates Mr. Baldwin by stating that he believed the gun held only dummy rounds," Baldwin's Instagram account said.

Hutchins was killed while a rehearsal when a revolver Baldwin was holding fired a live round through her and struck the film's director Joel Souza in the shoulder, wounding him.

About the New Mexico Environment Department, the investigation discovered that the production firm knew that firearm safety procedures were not being followed also demonstrated "plain indifference" to the hazards.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Rust Movie Productions spokesman Stefan Friedman stated that the company disagreed with the findings and intended to appeal.

The investigation discovered that Rust management ignored crew members' concerns about firearms and pyrotechnic misfires on set.