Hollywood star, Alec Baldwin while filming last Thursday his movie "Rust" in New Mexico, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Actors were rehearsing for the Western movie at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe when one round was discharged from a gun that Baldwin had been told was a cold or unloaded weapon.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department, the weapon was discharged by the 30 Rock alum, 63.
The gun had grazed Souza,48, and hit Hutchins, 42, in her shoulder. They were rushed to receive medical attention after the deadly incident.
Hutchins was pronounced dead at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque while Souza was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center via helicopter.
In a statement, the filmmaker's rep revealed that he was released from the hospital the next day of the incident.
Before the tragic incident, several crew members walked off the set over safety concerns, including multiple previous misfires of the prop gun.
A spokesperson for Rust Movies Productions LLC told NBC News the company was not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
"Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down,” the spokesperson added.
"We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time,".
The Emmy winner broke his silence on Hutchins’ death on Friday via Twitter, saying, “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,".
"I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna,” he concluded.
https://twitter.com/AlecBaldwin/status/1451572461787439106?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
https://twitter.com/AlecBaldwin/status/1451573351588106246?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Investigation
As of Thursday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office was in the midst of an open and active investigation, but no arrests been made so far.
Baldwin was questioned by investigators as were other members of the crew, but no charges were filed.
The assistant director called out “cold gun” when handing Baldwin the weapon, the AD wrote in an affidavit.
“Cold” means no ammunition is in the gun. The crew member did not know live rounds were in the prop gun, Detective Joel Cano declared in an affidavit.
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s search warrant executed Friday indicated the deputy arrived at the scene was told that assistant director Dave Halls did not know there was a live round in the gun when he yelled “cold gun.”
Reaction
Many movie and TV sets are vowing not to risk having “hot” or “live” — meaning loaded — weapons on set.
ABC’s police drama "The Rookie" has officially banned live rounds.
“As of today, it is now policy on The Rookie that all gunfire onset will be with Air Soft guns with CG muzzle flashes added in post. There will be no more ‘live’ weapons on the show. The safety of our cast and crew is too important,” showrunner Alexi Hawley wrote in a memo on Friday, October 22.
A Change.org petition addressed to Baldwin that calls for a ban on using real firearms on set and demands better working conditions for crew has passed its stated goal of 25,000 signatures.
The petition was launched by award-winning filmmaker Bandar Albuliwi on Friday and passed 25,000 signatures in the early hours of Monday morning.
“We need to make sure that this avoidable tragedy never happens again,” Albuliwi states in the petition. “There is no excuse for something like this to happen in the 21st century. Real guns are no longer needed on film production sets. This isn’t the early 90’s, when Brandon Lee was killed in the same manner. Change needs to happen before additional talented lives are lost.”
The producers of “Rust” have suspended production amid the ongoing investigation of the circumstances of Hutchins’ death.
“As we go through this crisis, we have made the decision to wrap the set at least until the investigations are complete,” said a statement released on Sunday.
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