Prop gun misfires, Alec Baldwin kills woman on 'Rust' set

Written by

Trishna Das

Twitter

Published on Oct 22, 2021, 12:53 pm

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin misfired a prop gun on a film set in New Mexico, which killed a woman cinematographer, while the director-writer was left wounded. Halyna Hutchins, 42, was working as a director of photography, while Joel Souza is the film's director. Reports say the Saturday Night Live star was filming for Rust in the southwestern US state, where the incident happened.

Hutchins succumbed to her injuries, Souza currently in 'critical condition'

After the fatal mishap, Hutchins was immediately transported to a hospital by helicopter, but she succumbed to her wounds, while Souza is currently undergoing treatment at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Reports say he is in a "critical condition." Cops are currently investigating the case at Bonanza Creek Ranch. Meanwhile, no criminal charges have been registered against Baldwin regarding this incident.

Baldwin was seen in tears outside the local sheriff's office

The 68-year-old celebrity was seen crying outside the local sheriff's office yesterday, reports said. He "came in voluntarily and he left the building after he finished his interviews," as per a Santa Fe sheriff spokesman. Meanwhile, Baldwin's representative informed the media that the prop gun that was misfired had blanks. Right now, the production of the film has been put on a halt.

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Hutchins grew up on a Soviet military base in Arctic Circle and was from Ukraine. She was a journalism graduate from Kyiv and studied film at a Los Angeles institution. In 2019, the American Cinematographer magazine named her a "rising star." Expressing grief over her demise, colleagues from the industry took to Twitter to remember moments shared with her. Rest in peace, Hutchins!

I was lucky to have known her, says 'Archenemy' director

Baldwin's film is also dealing with an accidental killing

Speaking about the incident, Juan Rios, spokesperson for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office shared, "We're trying to determine right now how and what type of projectile was used in the firearm." Coming to Rust, Baldwin plays a grandfather in the movie, which is set in 1880s Kansas. The movie revolves around a teenage boy who accidentally kills a rancher. Baldwin is its co-producer.