A cinematographer was killed on the New Mexico set of Alec Baldwin’s new movie “Rust” after she was injured in an accident with a prop gun on Thursday, according to NBC News.
According to Variety, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded. NBC News reported that the incident occurred on set, which was filming at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular production location near Santa Fe, which is often used for western backdrops.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office said in a statement that Hutchins and Souza “were shot when a prop firearm was discharged by Alec Baldwin, 68, producer and actor.”
“It appears that the scene being filmed involved the use of a prop firearm when it was discharged,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement. “Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged.”
A spokesperson for Alec Baldwin told NBC News, “There was an accident today on the New Mexico set of Rust involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks. Production has been halted for the time being. The safety of our cast and crew remains our top priority.”
The film centers on a 13-year-old boy who goes on the run with his estranged grandfather after he is sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a rancher in the 1880s, according to the movie’s logline. Baldwin is a co-producer of the film, which was written and is being directed by Joel Souza. Travis Fimmel, Brady Noon, Frances Fisher and Jensen Ackles are all on tap for the film.
Prior to the incident, Hutchins shared several snapshots from the set, including a video of her riding a horse around the Santa Fe landscape. She posted the photos and videos to her Instagram.
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