The actor Alec Baldwin reportedly discharged a prop gun while on the set of a new film called Rust, killing the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and injuring the film’s director, Joel Souza, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement given to THR, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe, New Mexico police department said: “According to investigators it appears that the scene being filmed involved the use of a prop firearm when it was discharged. Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged.”
The incident occurred on Thursday, October 21, around 1:50 p.m. local time. Hutchins was flown to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she later died. Meanwhile, Souza was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe; his condition was not immediately available, according to the New York Times.
In a now deleted Instagram, Alec Baldwin posted a picture of himself on the set of Rust, appearing bloody and stating in the caption “Back to in person at the office. Blimey…it’s exhausting”:
A spokesperson from Rust said in a statement: “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. We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event.”
Just two days ago, Hutchins posted the following video to Instagram, stating: “One of the perks of shooting a western is you get to ride horses on your day off:)”
More on this story as it develops.