Alec Baldwin fires prop gun on film set, killing crew member

Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on a film set Thursday, killing the movie’s director of images and injuring its director, police stated.

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed and Joel Souza, 48, was injured on the set of “Rust,” a Western being filmed on the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Sante Fe, New Mexico, in accordance with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s workplace.

Hutchins was transported through helicopter to the College of New Mexico Hospital the place she was pronounced lifeless. Souza was delivered to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Heart to bear remedy for his accidents.

The circumstances of the taking pictures are beneath investigation. No prices have been filed.

“We acquired the devastating information this night, that one in all our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Images on a manufacturing referred to as ‘Rust’ in New Mexico died from accidents sustained on the set,” stated John Lindley, the president of the Worldwide Cinematographers Guild, and Rebecca Rhine, the chief director, in a press release to Selection.

“The small print are unclear at this second, however we’re working to study extra, and we help a full investigation into this tragic occasion,” the assertion learn. “It is a horrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s household.”

Hutchins graduated from the American Movie Institute in 2015. She was concerned in a number of quick movies earlier than engaged on “Archenemy,” a 2020 characteristic movie starring Joe Manganiello.

Initially from Ukraine, she held a graduate diploma in worldwide journalism from Kyiv Nationwide College and beforehand labored as an investigative journalist with British documentary productions in Europe.

In 2019, she was chosen as one in all American Cinematographer’s rising stars.

Hutchins’ demise echoes that of actor Brandon Lee, the son of martial arts film legend Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee died after he was shot by a spherical from a prop gun whereas filming for the film “The Crow” in 1993.

“There was an accident in the present day on the New Mexico set of Rust involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks,” a spokesperson for Baldwin stated in a press release to NBC Information. “Manufacturing has been halted in the interim. The protection of our forged and crew stays our prime precedence.”

Baldwin, 63, is a co-producer on “Rust” and performs notorious outlaw Harland Rust, whose 13-year-old grandson is convicted of an unintentional killing. Rust travels to Kansas to interrupt his grandson out of jail and the 2 fugitives should outrun U.S. Marshal Wooden Helm and bounty-hunter Fenton “Preacher” Lang.

Earlier Thursday, Baldwin posted an photograph of himself on Instagram in costume for the movie, full with what gave the impression to be faux blood on his shirt.

Just lately identified for portraying President Donald Trump on “Saturday Evening Stay” and starring within the NBC comedy “30 Rock,” Baldwin has received a number of Emmy and Golden Globe awards and been nominated for an Academy Award and a Tony Award.

Baldwin has hosted “SNL” 17 instances, greater than every other particular person, and starred in movies like “The Departed,” “Glengarry Glen Ross” and the “Mission Unimaginable” franchise. He was additionally the producer on director Souza’s movie “Crown Vic.”

Baldwin has a historical past of dropping his mood, which has included incidents resulting in his arrest. In 2019, he pleaded responsible to harassment of one other particular person in connection to a dispute over a parking spot in Manhattan in Nov. 2018. He agreed to bear anger administration counseling in that case.

Earlier than that, police arrested him for driving his bicycle the mistaken means, and for disorderly conduct after he allegedly grew to become belligerent with the cops who stopped him.

Baldwin was additionally acquitted of misdemeanor battery prices after being accused of punching a contract photographer in California in 1995, breaking the lensman’s nostril.

The actor is married to Hilaria Baldwin, and so they have six kids collectively. He additionally has a daughter named Eire from his earlier marriage to actress Kim Basinger.

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