Alec Baldwin Fatally Shoots Film's Cinematographer With Prop Gun On Movie Set, Director Also Injured

Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the sets of his new 19th Century western film Rust, killing the cinematographer and wounding the director. 

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s officials confirmed that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza were shot on Thursday in the desert on the southern outskirts of Santa Fe. The Associated Press reported that Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel. Souza, 48, was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he is undergoing treatment for his injuries. The production has been halted.

Police are still investigating the incident but there have not been any charges filed. Baldwin was said to have shown up voluntarily and left the building after finishing up with the questioning. The 63-year-old actor's spokesperson confirmed that there was an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks, adding that a charge without a metal projectile is unlikely to kill at a moderate distance.

The International Cinematographers Guild has also confirmed the death of Hutchins. Guild president John Lindley and executive director Rebecca Rhine said in a statement, “The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event.”

Hutchins was from Ukraine and grew up on a Soviet military base in the Arctic Circle, as per the BBC. She studied journalism in Kyiv, and film in Los Angeles. She was even named a "rising star" by the American Cinematographer magazine in 2019. She also worked as a cinematographer for 21st Century Fox DP Lab in 2018. She had a stint as an investigative journalist with British documentary productions in Europe before moving on to working in films.

Rust Movies Productions LLC said: "The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today’s tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna’s family and loved ones. We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department’s investigation." They added, "We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event." Days before the unfortunate incident, she had uploaded pictures and videos from the sets of the film. Tributes for the cinematographer came in from colleagues and friends. 

Adam Egypt Mortimer with whom she worked on the 2020 action film Archenemy, tweeted: "I’m so sad about losing Halyna. And so infuriated that this could happen on a set. She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film." 

Brandon Lee, son of the late martial-arts star Bruce Lee, also died under similar circumstances in 1993. His sister Shannon said, “Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on Rust. No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.”