Rust: Alec Baldwin ‘discharged’ gun that killed one and injured another on movie set

Authorities have confirmed that actor Alec Baldwin “discharged” the prop gun that killed one and injured another on a movie set in New Mexico.

The actor was filming a forthcoming Western called Rust at Bonanza Creek Ranch when the tragedy occurred.

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department issued a statement on Thursday night following the incident that led to the death of Halyna Hutchins, the film’s director of photography.

According to the statement accessed by Deadline, “Ms Hutchins was transported, via helicopter, to University of New Mexico Hospital where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel.”

She was 42.

Rust director Joel Souza was injured in the accidental shooting and, as per the police, is currently undergoing treatment at Christus St Vincent’s hospital. The 48-year-old filmmaker is reportedly in emergency care.

The police added that the investigation remains “open and active” and that “no charges have been filed in regard to the incident” so far.

“Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives.”

Hutchins’s death was confirmed by the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600.

In a statement to Variety, guild presidentJohn Lindley and executive director Rebecca Rhine said: “We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called Rust in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set.”

“This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s family.”

An American Film Institute (AFI) graduate, Hutchins worked on several short films as well as full length feature Archenemy starring Joe Manganiello. She was named “rising star” by American Cinematographer magazine in 2019.

Hutchins posted a photograph from the set of Rust two days ago. She also shared a video of herself, enjoying her day off, horse-riding on the same day.

There was an outpouring of grief on social media, in the wake of Hutchins’s death.

Archenemy director Adam Egypt Mortimer retweeted a post about working with Hutchins that read: “Halyna Hutchins, Archenemy DP, has a brilliant mind for light and texture. Her tastes and sensibility of what is cinematic were a huge asset for executing our style — the grimy but beautiful feeling I referred to as ROMANTIC BRUTALSM.”

Actor Elijah Wood offered his condolences and said: “Absolutely horrifying and devastating news about cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. My heart goes out to her family.”

US political commentator Mike Cernovich tweeted: “Why was Alec Baldwin pointing a ‘prop gun’ at a cinematographer? How did he shoot two people? With one bullet? Did the bullet bounce? How many shots were fired. These are questions that police will investigate. No one can say he’s ‘innocent’ at this point.”

British journalist Piers Morgan shared photographs of Baldwin taken after the incident and captioned the post: “BREAKING: A distraught Alec Baldwin, after he accidentally shot & killed the cinematographer on the set of his new movie, & wounded the writer-director. How on earth could this have happened?”

#BrandonLee began trending on Twitter shortly after news of the shooting broke.

Bruce Lee’s son, Brandon died in 1993 after he was shot by a gun firing blanks on the set of the movie The Crow.

US journalist Mark Harris wrote: “One of the first stories I ever covered as a journalist was the accidental death of Brandon Lee. It left me with a lifelong dread of guns on sets. This is horrific.”

Written by Souza, Rust also starsTravis Fimmel, Brady Noon, Frances Fisher and Jensen Ackles.

It is the story of notorious outlaw Harlan Rust, played by Baldwin, who goes on the run with his 13-yer-old grandson after the teenager accidentally kills a rancher.

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