The investigation into the fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin is ongoing, and the New Mexico prosecutor overseeing the case says authorities are awaiting the analysis of key forensic evidence before a decision can be made about whether criminal charges will be filed.
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies provided the update in a social media post Wednesday, saying her office has received only portions of the investigation from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.
Still outstanding is forensic analysis of the weapon, a review of data from Baldwin's cell phone and more from the FBI and state medical examiners.
The screening process by prosecutors will begin once sheriff's investigators receive the information and complete their supplemental reports. To expedite the process, Carmack-Altwies has retained a special prosecutor — retired Ninth Judicial District Attorney Andrea Reeb from eastern New Mexico, who has more than two decades of experience.
"To remain transparent to the local and national community, the (district attorney's office) will proactively disseminate information as it becomes available," Carmack-Altwies said.
A live round of ammunition killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza during rehearsal on Oct. 21, 2021. Filming for the Western "Rust" took place at a ranch on the outskirts of the city of Santa Fe.
In records released so far, investigators described complacency, disorganization and neglected safety measures in the making of the low-budget movie.
The videos released by investigators show a debriefing with Baldwin hours after the fatal shooting and rehearsal clips that show Baldwin in costume as he practiced a quick-draw maneuver with a gun.
Baldwin had told investigators that as the gun went off, he was unaware initially that Hutchins would die and was shocked to learn that he had been holding a gun loaded with live ammunition. Baldwin, who also was a producer on the film, had said the gun should have been empty for a rehearsal with no filming.
In April, New Mexico's Occupational Health and Safety Bureau delivered a scathing narrative of safety failures in violation of standard industry protocols. It included testimony that production managers took limited or no action to address two previous misfires on the set, complaints from crew members that went unheeded, and reports that weapons specialists were not allowed to make decisions about additional safety training.
Rust Movie Productions is disputing the findings and the sanction.
Nintendo chief insists the Switch momentum will keep going, even after its successor
Japanese video game maker Nintendo's chief said Wednesday that Switch console sales were still going strong, while he promised its successor is coming.
"The momentum of the Nintendo Switch hasn't stopped," company president Shuntaro Furukawa told reporters.
His comments come a day after Nintendo reported a 60% drop in its fiscal first half profit, largely because of declining sales of the Switch, which now is in its eighth year, as well as Switch games.
Furukawa did not give details on the greatly anticipated upcoming machine but stressed all current game software will be playable on the next Switch.
People may want to keep playing the offerings from the rich lineup already on sale, as well as the games they own, he added, insisting the Kyoto-based maker behind the Super Mario franchise wasn't hemmed in by the idea of a console's "life cycle."
Nintendo is investing in both hardware and software development research, as well as movies, merchandising, amusement parks and music, Furukawa said.
Another Mario movie is set to be released in April 2026, a sequel to last year's hit film, and a Zelda movie is also being planned, although a date wasn't given. Movies boost game and machine sales, and the absence of a movie this year was one reason sales faltered, according to Nintendo.
Theme park Super Nintendo World is opening in Orlando next year, and another is set to open in Singapore. They're already open in Japan and Los Angeles.
Official stores also help boost Nintendo fans, and a new one is opening in San Francisco next year. Nintendo stores are already open in New York, Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto, in addition to the temporary pop-ups in various cities.
More than 100 million people around the world are... Read More