Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that killed DOP Halyna Hutchins and wounded director
Alec Baldwin fired a pistol while filming a scene in a movie in which he stars, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the wounding of director Joel Souza.
The incident took place on the set of Rust, an independent film the actor was shooting at Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular production location south of Santa Fe. Hutchins, 42, was flown by helicopter to the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque, where she died. Souza, 48, was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, where he is being treated for his injuries, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said Hutchins and Souza "were killed when a firearm was unloaded by Alec Baldwin, 68, producer and actor." The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Baldwin was questioned by investigators and was in tears. At the moment, no one has been arrested in the incident and no charges have been filed, the office said. Investigators were questioning witnesses and the incident remains the subject of an "open and active" investigation, according to the sheriff's office.
Hutchins' death was confirmed by the sheriff's office and the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600. “We received the devastating news this evening that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the director of photography for a production called Rust in New Mexico died of his injuries on set, ”said John Lindley, the guild's president, and Rebecca Rhine, the executive director, in a statement. "The details are not clear at this time, but we are working to find out more and support a full investigation into this tragic event. This is a terrible loss and we mourn the passing of a family member from our Guild ”.
Rust Movie Productions LLC, the production behind the film, released a statement Thursday night, saying the cast and crew are "devastated" and that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation.
"The entire cast and crew were devastated by today's tragedy and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna's family and loved ones," the company said. “We have ceased production on the film for an indefinite period of time and are fully cooperating with the investigation of the Santa Fe Police Department. We will provide advisory services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this terrible event. "
The sheriff's office received a 911 call reporting the incident at 1:50 pm. ABC News broadcast audio from the scanner, in which someone is heard saying, "We have a person who was accidentally shot".
The production company released its initial statement Thursday afternoon, saying, "There was an incident today on the set of Rust in New Mexico involving a non-firing of a stage gun with blanks." However, the sheriff's office indicated it was too early to tell what kind of problem had arisen. The office also did not use the word "accident", leaving that determination to the investigators.
"The sheriff's office refers to this incident as an investigation into a shooting," said sheriff's spokesman Juan Rios. "That detail will be addressed by the investigators as they work on their case." The sheriff's office said the shooting took place "during the filming of a scene". "According to investigators, it appears that the scene being filmed involved the use of a firearm when it was unloaded," the office said. "Investigators are investigating how and what type of bullet was unloaded."
Hutchins graduated from the American Film Institute in 2015 and worked on several short films before shooting Archenemy, a 2020 feature with Joe Manganiello. He was named a “rising star” by American Cinematographer in 2019. “He's a wonderful, positive and creative person who was so excited to hit the ground running and make films,” said Michael Pessah, a cinematographer who is a friend of Hutchins. Lesli Linka Glatter, president of the Directors Guild of America, expressed her condolences on behalf of the guild.
“The DGA is incredibly saddened to learn of the tragic death of director of photography Halyna Hutchins and the serious injuries sustained by DGA director Joel Souza in an accident on the set in New Mexico today,” she said. "We await further details and a full investigation. Our hearts are with Halyna's family, Joel and all those affected ”.
