Filming for Alec Baldwin’s Western Movie Ends After He Misfires Prop Gun Killing Director of Photography

On the set filming the Western movie “Rust” actor Alec Baldwin accidentally discharged a prop firearm, killing the director of photography and injuring the film’s director. The 42-year-old woman, Halyna Hutchins, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The director and second victim is 48-year-old Joel Souza who is receiving emergency care at Christus St. Vincent Medical Center. Production for the film, which Baldwin stars in and produces, has been put on hold.

The sheriff’s office of Santa Fe County, New Mexico, released a statement saying the shots were fired by a prop firearm that was discharged by Baldwin. The investigation is ongoing and authorities say no charges have been filed yet in this incident.

NPR reports detectives are continuing to interview witnesses and that “a spokesperson for Baldwin” said only that there was an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks.

Local paper The Santa Few New Mexican reported Baldwin was seen Thursday outside the sheriff’s office in tears, but they were unable to get a comment from him.

NPR reports:

Deputies responded about 2 p.m. to the movie set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch after 911 calls came in of a person being shot on set, Rios said.

Filming for “Rust” was set to continue into early November, according to a news release from the New Mexico Film Office.

The movie is about a 13-year-old boy who is left to fend for himself and his younger brother following the death of their parents in 1880s Kansas, according to the Internet Movie Database website.

The teen goes on the run with his long-estranged grandfather (played by Baldwin) after the boy is sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a local rancher.