Investigation continues into movie set shooting involving Alec Baldwin
Prop gun fires killing director and cinematographer - NBC's Jennifer Bjorklund reports
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (NBC News) - An emergency call from the set of a Western movie, "Bonanza Creek Road...be advised...two people have been shot accidentally..."
A prop gun discharged and mortally wounded cinematographer Helyna Hutchins, the director of photography on the film "Rust." She was taken by helicopter to a hospital, but did not survive.
A statement from her agent's office says the 42-year-old was a ray of light, always smiling, always hopeful.
"All those in her orbit knew what was coming, a star director of photography, who would be a force to be reckoned with."
- Innovative Artists
Baldwin also offered his first comments this morning on Twitter saying in part...
1-
— AlecBaldwin(HABF) (@AlecBaldwin) October 22, 2021
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
Also hospitalized from the shooting, director Joel Souza, but he was released today after treatment for undisclosed injuries.
The investigators are looking at what kind of projectile came out of the prop gun.
The scene - Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico, where just a few days ago Hutchins posted an Instagram video with the caption "one of the perks of shooting a Western is you get to ride horses on your days off."
Actor Geoff Meed was on a different project nearby.
"Sheriffs came down and said on another set that a live gun got discharged," said Meed.
This has happened before, most notably in 1993. Actor Brandon Lee, son of icon Bruce Lee, was killed by a prop gun on the film "The Crow." His death was ruled accidental, and strict new protocols for prop firearms have been in place ever since.
