Alec Baldwin Expresses Anguish and Shock About Prop Gun Death

https://www.wsj.com/articles/alec-baldwin-expresses-anguish-and-shock-about-death-on-set-of-rust-11634919666?mod=hp_lead_pos9

October 22, 2021 2 min read

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Alec Baldwin, who discharged a prop firearm Thursday that killed a woman and injured another man on the set of the movie “Rust,” said on his Twitter feed Friday: “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours.”

Mr. Baldwin said he is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

Ms. Hutchins, the film’s cinematographer, 42 years old, died after being taken by helicopter to University of New Mexico Hospital, according to a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office.

The other shooting victim, director Joel Souza, 48, was injured and taken to a local hospital where he is undergoing treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.

Mr. Baldwin, 63, stars as Harland Rust in the film.

The shooting occurred when Mr. Baldwin discharged a prop gun during the movie production at the Bonanza Creek Ranch set, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives are investigating “how and what type of projectile was discharged,” according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators said it appeared the scene being filmed involved the use of the prop gun when it was discharged.

Mr. Baldwin’s acting career includes movie and television credits for “30 Rock” and the Mission Impossible movie franchise. He portrayed President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live” and has also been a commercial spokesman for Capital One Financial.

Ms. Hutchins, who lived in Los Angeles, was originally from Ukraine and grew up on a Soviet military base in the Arctic, according to her website. Earlier this week Ms. Hutchins posted an Instagram video of herself on a horse ride in New Mexico. “One of the perks of shooting a western is you get to ride horses on your day off,” she wrote.

The International Cinematographers Guild said, “This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our guild’s family.”

Halyna Hutchins, seen in 2019, was originally from Ukraine. She was 42 years old.

Photo:

Fred Hayes/Getty Images

Accidental fatal gunshots on Hollywood sets are rare but have occurred before. Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce and Linda Lee, was killed in 1993 by an accidental gunshot wound on “The Crow” set.

“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,” his sister, Shannon Lee, said on Twitter Friday.

At least 43 people have died on film sets in the U.S. since 1990, according to an Associated Press investigation from 2016, while more than 150 suffered life-altering injuries.

—Joe Flint contributed to this article.

Write to Katherine Sayre at katherine.sayre@wsj.com and Dan Frosch at dan.frosch@wsj.com