No charges have been filed
News Friday that Alec Baldwin was at the centre of a fatal shooting accident on a movie set seemed somewhat unbelievable – until you consider something eerily similar happened in 1993.
Brandon Bruce Lee was fatally wounded by a prop gun on the set of The Crow.
So how, almost 30 years later, did another tragedy unfold on a movie set?
Here’s everything we know so far about the death of Halyna Hutchins and the wounding of Joel Souza.
What happened?
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At Bonanza Creek Ranch in the south of Santa Fe, production for the film ‘Rust’ was underway starring Alec Baldwin and Jensen Ackles.
It is unclear exactly what happened, but police have confirmed that on Thursday Baldwin fired a prop gun and that two people were hit.
The movie’s director, Joel Souza, was rushed to hospital along with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Hutchins is said to have later died.
Related links
Alec Baldwin: Brandon Lee’s family speaks out after gun misfire kills Halyna Hutchins
Alec Baldwin shoots dead crew member on set with prop gun
Witnesses are being interviewed by police, and neither Baldwin nor the studio behind the western has made an official statement, bar sharing their condolences.
The investigation remains open, and no charges had been filed at the time of writing.
Who was shot?
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The film’s director, Souza, was injured in the shooting and initially underwent emergency care at a local hospital. As of 9am BST, the 48-year-old was said to have been discharged, the Independent reports.
Cinematographer Hutchins, 42, died in hospital, it was announced Thursday.
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?
Pics: Jim Weber @thenewmexican pic.twitter.com/xrvcheLaCK— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 22, 2021
Who was Halyna Hutchins?
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Born in Ukraine in 1979, Hutchins grew up in a Soviet camp in the Arctic Circle “surrounded by reindeer and nuclear submarines”. She graduated from the Kyiv National University with a degree in international journalism before working on British documentary productions in Europe.
The director of photography on the production of ‘Rust’, Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she was pronounced dead, aged 42.
Her credits include Blindfire, Cate Devaney’s horror movie The Mad Hatter, Adriana González-Vega’s To the New Girl, and The Walking Dead actor Pollyanna McIntosh’s horror film Darlin’.
Tributes have begun to pour in on social media, with friends, fans, and colleagues paying their respects.
What have the police said
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFYS8dIhe0i/
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies confirmed it was called to the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set of the western ‘Rust’, on Thursday, when “a 991 caller reported a shooting on the set”.
“The sheriff’s office confirms that two individuals were shot on the set of Rust. Halyna Hutchins, 42, director of photography and Joel Souza, 48, director, were shot when a prop firearm was discharged by Alec Baldwin, 63, producer, and actor.”
Public Statements
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEgnHAEpbLx/
National 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.”
The family of Brandon Bruce Lee wrote on Twitter:”Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on “Rust”. No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period,” said Brandon Bruce Lee’s Twitter account.
Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on “Rust”. No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period. 💔
— Brandon Bruce Lee (@brandonblee) October 22, 2021
Director James Gunn said: “My greatest fear is that someone will be fatally hurt on one of my sets. I pray this will never happen. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy today on Rust, especially Halyna Hutchins & her family.”
Praying for the friends & fam of #HalynaHutchins 🙏🏾
— Trevor Jackson (@trevorjackson5) October 22, 2021
Friend and actor Joe Manganiello said: “I’m in shock. I was so lucky to have had Halyna Hutchins as my DP on Archenemy. An incredible talent & great person. I can’t believe this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member? What a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family.”
Sick and devastated to hear that my friend and rockstar cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set today in New Mexico. I don't have words to describe this tragedy. I want answers. I want her family to somehow find peace among this horrific, horrific loss. pic.twitter.com/ElAQNMuQvR
— principal slaytographer (@elleschneider) October 22, 2021
Director Elle Schneider said: “Sick and devastated to hear that my friend and rockstar cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set today in New Mexico. I don’t have words to describe this tragedy. I want answers. I want her family to somehow find peace among this horrific, horrific loss.”
“Absolutely horrifying and devastating news about cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. My heart goes out to her family,” tweeted Elijah Wood.
Former Empire Editor Terri White said, “I can’t process how Halyna Hutchins’ death could happen. What an awful, awful tragedy.”
https://twitter.com/JamesCullenB/status/1451371126244872193
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