Alec Baldwin shooting – latest: Hilaria posts message of support as family of Halyna Hutchins speak out
Alec Baldwin had been practising a “cross-draw” weapons firing technique and was aiming at a camera when a prop gun went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, according to multiple witness statements.
Authorities in Sante Fe have released statements by Rust director Joel Souza and a cameraman which said the accidental shooting happened during a scene filmed inside a mock church.
Mr Souza, 48, told investigators he was standing behind the camera next to Ms Hutchins when he heard a loud pop.
He noticed both he and Ms Hutchins were bleeding, and she fell to the ground moments later.
Meanwhile, the chief electrician on Rust, Serge Svetnoy, told how he held Ms Hutchins in his arms while she lay dying in an emotional tribute on Facebook.
“I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Halyna during this fatal shot that took her life and injured the director Joel Souza,” Mr Svetnoy wrote.
“I was holding her in my arms while she was dying. Her blood was on my hands.”
He said the the accidental shooting on the film set in New Mexico on Thursday was the “fault of negligence and unprofessionalism” by those responsible for ensuring gun safety on set.
On Sunday, hundreds attended a vigil for cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
On Friday, Mr Baldwin said in a statement: “My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
An investigation into the shooting is continuing.
Read More
Rust: Alec Baldwin ‘discharged’ gun that killed one and injured another on movie set
Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza: What we know about the victims of the Alec Baldwin Rust shooting
Donald Trump Jr sells T-shirts mocking Alec Baldwin set shooting
Key Points
Alec Baldwin comforts Halyna Hutchins’s family after fatal shooting
Alec Baldwin ‘very careful’ with guns prior to shooting accident, says cameraman
Director wasn’t certain if the gun being used was checked for safety, according to affidavit
Witnesses say they complained previously about assistant director’s unsafe practices
Crew had raised safety concerns before shooting incident, report says
Alec Baldwin fired the gun that that killed one and injured another on movie set
Incident remains ‘an active investigation’, Sheriff’s office says
Cinematographer’s final posts show her excitement on set
01:07 , Nathan Place
The final Instagram posts of Halyna Hutchins, the film Rust’s director of photography, show how happy she was on the set of the film.
“One of the perks of shooting a western is you get to ride horses on your day off,” Ms Hutchins captioned a video on 19 October, adding a smiley face.
Assistant director was fired from previous movie over gun incident, report says
Monday 25 October 2021 23:46 , Nathan Place
Dave Halls, the assistant director who reportedly handed Alec Baldwin the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins, was fired from a previous movie he worked on over a similar incident, CNN has learned.
Mr Halls was working on the 2019 film “Freedom’s Path” when a prop gun “unexpectedly discharged,” CNN reported, injuring a sound technician.
“Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged,” the movie’s production company, Rocket Soul Studios, told CNN. “Production did not resume filming until Dave was off site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time.”
The assistant director on the movie “Rust,” who handed a prop gun to Alec Baldwin before the fatal shooting last week, was previously fired from a film production after a gun incident injured a crew member, a film production company tells CNN https://t.co/OkDzxajivJ
— CNN (@CNN) October 25, 2021
Monday 25 October 2021 23:15 , Clemence Michallon
Here are some of the rules about using guns on film sets:
What happened in Alec Baldwin shooting incident that left film crew member dead?
Monday 25 October 2021 22:32 , Clemence Michallon
Hilaria Baldwin has made her first public comments since the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
On Instagram, she wrote: “My heart is with Halyna. Her husband. Her son. Their family and loved ones. And my Alec.”
Hilaria Baldwin breaks silence after Alec Baldwin shooting: 'My heart is with Halyna'
Monday 25 October 2021 21:37 , Clemence Michallon
Svetlana Androsovyc, Halyna Hutchins’s sister, has spoken out and paid tribute to the cinematographer.
Speaking to the Kyiv Post, Androsovyc said: “I cannot comprehend [her passing]. I loved her very much; I was very proud of her, and she was my role model. We were always close and remained in touch, despite the distance.”
Halyna Hutchins’s sister speaks out after fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on Rust set
Monday 25 October 2021 21:09 , Clemence Michallon
The production of Rust has been officially halted, but producers of the Western described the move as “a pause rather than an end”, The Associated Press reports.
In an email to crew members, the movie’s production team confirmed that work on the film has been suspended at least until the investigation is complete.
The team said it is working with law enforcement and is conducting its own internal safety review. The production company is also offering grief counseling.
(AP)
Monday 25 October 2021 20:42 , Clemence Michallon
The Santa Fe County Sheriff and the Santa Fe District Attorney have announced they will conduct a joint news conference on Wednesday (27 October) to discuss the ongoing investigation into the shooting incident on the set Rust.
The news conference will begin at 10:00am local time (12:00pm ET/5pm BST) in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Monday 25 October 2021 19:52 , Clemence Michallon
Alec Baldwin is reportedly cancelling all of his projects following the incident on the set of Rust.
A source told People that the 63-year-old actor is going “to take some time to himself and re-centre himself”.
“This is how he handles difficult times. Whenever something bad happens, in the short term, he removes himself from the public eye,” the source said.
Peony Hirwani has the full story:
Alec Baldwin to cancel all projects following prop gun incident on set of Rust
Monday 25 October 2021 19:08 , Clemence Michallon
The chief electrician on the set of Rust has opened up about the death of Halyna Hutchins in a Facebook post.
“Yes, I knew Halyna, not for a year. I worked with Her on almost all of her films,” Serge Svetnoy wrote.
“Sometimes we’ve shared food and water. We’ve been burning under the sun, freezing in the snow on the shoots. We took care of each other. Yes, I can say with 100% confidence she was my friend.”
Rust film set chief electrician cradled Halyna Hutchins in his arms as she lay dying
Monday 25 October 2021 18:42 , Clemence Michallon
Alec Baldwin’s wife Hilaria Baldwin has shared a message of support for Halyna Hutchins’s family on Instagram.
“My heart is with Halyna,” she wrote. “Her husband. Her son. Their family and loved ones. And my Alec. It’s said, ‘There are no words’ because it’s impossible to express the shock and heartache of such a tragic accident. Heartbreak. Loss. Support.”
She shared the post on Monday morning on her Instagram account:
Monday 25 October 2021 18:32 , Clemence Michallon
A film safety expert joined Morning Joe to provide insight into guns and how they are used on film sets, as well as safety rules in the industry.
He highlighted four main rules: “All guns are always loaded. Never point a gun at anything you don’t want to destroy. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. And always be sure of your target and what’s beyond it.”
The expert also reflected on the usage of the phrase “prop gun”. You can watch the full clip below:
Donald Trump Jr sells T-shirts mocking Alec Baldwin over fatal on-set shooting
Monday 25 October 2021 16:05 , Bevan Hurley
Donald Trump Jr is selling T-shirts on his personal website with the words: “Guns don’t kill people, Alec Baldwin kills people”.
Mr Trump has repeatedly mocked Mr Baldwin in a series of inflammatory Instagram posts about Thursday’s accidental shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in New Mexico.
According to multiple witness accounts, Mr Baldwin was heard being given a “cold gun” shortly before firing the prop gun towards a camera, killing Ms Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Crew members and Ms Hutchins’ family have blamed the shooting on “negligence” by those responsible for ensuring gun safety on the set, and said Mr Baldwin was not to blame.
The Independent’s Arpan Rai has the full story here.
Father of Halyna Hutchins says Alec Baldwin is not responsible for her death
Monday 25 October 2021 15:44 , Bevan Hurley
Halyna Hutchins’ father Anatoly Androsovych has blamed the death of his daughter on the “people who hold the guns”.
Speaking to The Sun from his home in the Ukraine, Mr Androsovych said the family were still processing the shock of Ms Hutchins’ death.
“I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns,” he said.
Mr Baldwin had been practising upholstering a prop gun and firing it at a camera when it went off, killing Ms Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Authorities are investigating the accidental shooting of Ms Hutchins on the set of Rust in New Mexico on Thursday.
Mr Androsovych said his daughter’s husband Matt, a Los Angeles-based lawyer, would decide whether they would pursue legal action.
Rust’s chief electrician says Halyna Hutchins’ death was due to 'negligence and unprofessionalism’
Monday 25 October 2021 15:22 , Bevan Hurley
The chief electrician on the set of Rust has told how he held Halyna Hutchins in his arms as she bled to death.
Serge Svetnoy said the accidental shooting on the film set in New Mexico on Thursday was the “fault of negligence and unprofessionalism” by those responsible for ensuring gun safety.
In an emotional post on Facebook, Mr Svetnoy said he had worked closely with Ms Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer, on several movies.
“I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Halyna during this fatal shot that took her life and injured the director Joel Souza,” he wrote.
“I was holding her in my arms while she was dying. Her blood was on my hands.”
He said the producers of Rust had hired an “inexperienced armourer”.
“To save a dime sometimes, you hire people who are not fully qualified for the complicated and dangerous job, and you risk the lives of the other people who are close and your lives as well,” he wrote.
Mr Svetnoy, who worked on several film productions with Ms Hutchins, said he was devastated for her husband Matt Hutchins and for Mr Baldwin.
“He has to live with the thought that he took the life of the human because of unprofessional people.”
Alec Baldwin was practising ‘cross-draw’ shot at camera when accidental shooting occurred
Monday 25 October 2021 15:12 , Bevan Hurley
Alec Baldwin had been practising pointing his weapon at a camera on the set of Rust when the prop gun accidentally went off, killing Halyna Hutchins, according to new witness statements made public on Sunday night.
A witness account from director Joel Souza released by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department on Sunday provided fresh details into the shooting, which occurred in an onset church while Mr Baldwin was practicing a “cross-draw”.
Mr Baldwin was attempting to reach across his body to draw the handgun when he aimed it at the camera, as Ms Hutchins, 42, and Mr Souza stood behind.
Mr Souza told the sheriff’s office in an interview that he heard a loud pop and then noticed that both he and Ms Hutchins were bleeding.
Ms Hutchins fell backward and complained of feeling pain before being helped to the ground, the director said.
Mr Souza, 48, said he recalled hearing the words “cold gun” prior to the accidental shooting, which means the gun had been safety checked.
The camera was not been filming when the accidental shooting occurred, authorities said.
Filmmakers explain what it’s really like to work with guns on set
Monday 25 October 2021 15:04 , Bevan Hurley
Filmmakers Christopher Gist and Sarah Mayberry say the safety procedures involved in using firearms on weapons on set are exacting.
Writing for The Independent, the pair who recently shot psychological crime thriller Darklands said it was important to operate with an “abundance of caution”.
“A gun with no ammunition – that is, a gun with neither a bullet nor blanks – is not dangerous.
“But even so, on set there is always an armorer, a safety officer, and a stunt coordinator: at least three people who always have an eye on the guns on set.”
Read their full piece here.
‘Careful’ Alec Baldwin ordered child away when previously discharging gun on set
Monday 25 October 2021 14:05 , Chiara Giordano
A cameraman working on Rust said Alec Baldwin was careful with prop guns on set, after a shooting accident led to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’s death.
According to court documents filed by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department on Sunday, and seen by The New York Times, camera operator Reid Russell confirmed the actor was “very careful” of his surroundings when rehearsing or shooting with firearms.
Russell also shared an instance when Baldwin ensured no child actors were present when he discharged a gun.
Maanya Sachdeva has more details below:
‘Careful’ Alec Baldwin had ordered child away when previously discharging gun on set
Actors baffled by circumstances surrounding cinematographer’s death
Monday 25 October 2021 13:30 , Chiara Giordano
Hollywood professionals say they are baffled by the circumstances that led to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death on the set of Rust - and that production crews have quickly stepped up safety measures.
Jeffrey Wright, who has worked on projects including the James Bond franchise and the upcoming movie The Batman was acting with a weapon on the set of Westworld when news broke of the fatal shooting on Thursday.
"We were all pretty shocked. And it informed what we did from that moment on," he said in an interview at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
"I don't recall ever being handed a weapon that was not cleared in front of me — meaning chamber open, barrel shown to me, light flashed inside the barrel to make sure that it's cleared," Wright said. "Clearly, that was a mismanaged set."
Actor Ray Liotta agreed with Wright that the checks on firearms are usually extensive.
"They always — that I know of — they check it so you can see," Liotta said. "They give it to the person you're pointing the gun at, they do it to the producer, they show whoever is there that it doesn't work."
Watch: Candlelit vigil held for Halyna Hutchins
Monday 25 October 2021 13:00 , Chiara Giordano
A candlelight vigil was held in California on Sunday night for 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after she was fatally shot on the film set of Rust.
Watch footage of the vigil here:
Watch: Candlelit vigil held for Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer fatally shot on Rust set
Alec Baldwin urged to ‘use his power for change’
Monday 25 October 2021 12:27 , Chiara Giordano
A petition urging Alec Baldwin to “use his power and influence in Hollywood” to ban real guns on film sets has garnered more than 23,000 signatures.
The change.org petition was launched by filmmaker Bandar Albuliwi the day after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Baldwin on the set of Rust.
Read more on this story:
Alec Baldwin urged to ‘use his power for change’ in petition to ban real guns on sets
Rust director says he saw Halyna Hutchins ‘grab midsection and stumble backwards’
Monday 25 October 2021 10:48 , Chiara Giordano
The director of Rust, Joel Souza, has recalled the exact moment he saw actor Alec Baldwin fatally shoot the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.
According to an affidavit seen by The New York Times, Souza said Baldwin was rehearsing a scene that involved pointing a gun “towards the camera lens” when the firearm, which he had been told did not contain live rounds, suddenly went off.
Ellie Harrison has more details:
Rust director recalls moment he saw Alec Baldwin shoot Halyna Hutchins
Halyna Hutchins’s sister speaks out after fatal shooting
Monday 25 October 2021 10:08 , Chiara Giordano
Svetlana Androsovyc, the younger sister of Halyna Hutchins, has spoken out for the first time since the cinematographer’s death.
In a new interview with the Kyiv Post, Androsovyc said: “I cannot comprehend [her passing]. I loved her very much; I was very proud of her, and she was my role model. We were always close and remained in touch, despite the distance.”
Ellie Harrison has the full story:
Halyna Hutchins’s sister speaks out after fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on Rust set
Alec Baldwin comforts Halyna Hutchins’s family after fatal shooting
Monday 25 October 2021 09:35 , Chiara Giordano
Alec Baldwin reportedly spent the weekend comforting the widower and son of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed during one of his scenes on a New Mexico film set.
The actor was pictured outside a Santa Fe hotel with Matthew Hutchins and his son just days after the tragic incident, which happened on Thursday while Mr Baldwin and the 42-year-old cinematographer were filming the movie Rust.
Sheila Flynn has more on this story:
Alec Baldwin comforts Halyna Hutchins’s family
Alec Baldwin ‘very careful’ with guns prior to shooting accident, says cameraman
Monday 25 October 2021 08:53 , Chiara Giordano
A camera operator told authorities that Alec Baldwin had been careful with weapons on the set of the film Rust before the actor shot and killed a cinematographer with a gun he had been told was safe to use, court records show.
When asked about how Baldwin treated firearms on the set, cameraman Reid Russell said the actor was very careful, citing an instance when Baldwin made sure a child actor was not near him when a gun was being discharged.
Authorities on Friday said the assistant director, Dave Halls, had handed the weapon to Baldwin and announced "cold gun", indicating it was safe to use.
American Film Institute announces scholarship for women cinematographers to honour Halyna Hutchins
Monday 25 October 2021 08:30 , Peony Hirwani
The American Film Institute is honouring the memory of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a scholarship for women filmmakers following her death during a shooting on the set of Rust on Thursday (21 October).
“As is profoundly true in the art of cinematography, words alone cannot capture the loss of one so dear to the AFI community,” the institute said in a statement.
“We pledge to see that Halyna Hutchins will live on in the spirit of all who strive to see their dreams realized in stories well told.”
The donations to the fund can be made here.
Rust stars Jensen Ackles and Josh Hopkins pay tribute to Halyna Hutchins
Monday 25 October 2021 07:50 , Peony Hirwani
Rust stars Jensen Ackles and Josh Hopkins have paid tribute to late cinematographer and team member Halyna Hutchins on social media.
Posting a photograph of Hutchins riding a horse, Ackles wrote: “This has been a tragedy of epic proportions that we are all still processing.”
He added: “Earlier last week I felt compelled to tell Halyna just how awesome I thought she was. I told her how incredible I thought her camera shots were and just how exciting it was to watch her and her team work.”
Hopkins added: “Halyna was so generous with her kindness, she was an absolutely lovely person and a fierce artist. Her greatest joy was filmmaking.”
Rust crew was short-staffed and running behind schedule, affidavit states
Monday 25 October 2021 07:30 , Peony Hirwani
The Rust crew was short-staffed and running behind schedule, according to the latest affidavit.
Earlier that morning, a camera crew had quit, which led to director Joel Souza in search of new camera operators.
Even with a replacement team, filming was slow as there was only one camera available, according to the affidavit reviewed by Wall Street Journal.
Brandon Lee’s family speaks out after Rust shooting
Monday 25 October 2021 07:00 , Alex Woodward
Brandon Lee – the son of the late action star Bruce Lee – was killed in 1993 on the set of The Crow after an actor fired a prop gun that he believed to be loaded with blanks.
His family shared a statement following the on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Brandon Lee’s family speaks out following news of Alec Baldwin gun misfire on set
Witness says Baldwin made sure a child wasn’t near him in prior scenes just to be safe
Monday 25 October 2021 06:10 , Peony Hirwani
Crew member Reid Russell, who was setting up the camera for the scene, said Alec Baldwin had been “very careful” with weapons, according to a latest affidavit reviewed by Wall Street Journal.
Russell revealed that Baldwin made sure a child wasn’t near him in prior scenes when he was using a gun, just to be safe.
How movie prop guns work, and how they can still fire life-threatening shots
Monday 25 October 2021 06:00 , Alex Woodward
Prop guns include both real guns as well as toy guns or defunct weapons. The former are typically used to add an element of authenticity to close-up shots, as pointed out by firearms expert Cameron Brown in an article for American Cinematography magazine.
These are usually loaded with blanks or blank cartridges, not bullets. A blank cartridge contains all the components except for the projectile. Instead, the tip is sealed with things like paper wadding or wax.
Here’s how prop guns and blanks work, and why they can still be dangerous.
How prop guns filled with blanks can still fire life-threatening shots
Final moments of shooting revealed
Monday 25 October 2021 05:40 , Peony Hirwani
Joel Souza said he heard a loud pop on Alec Baldwin’s final reach for the gun, according to the affidavit released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday (24 October).
Souza vaguely remembers that Halyna Hutchins grabbed her waist and stumbled backwards before complaining of stomach ache, according to the document.
The director had been looking over the cinematographer’s shoulder to analyse the church scene, before he noticed that she was bleeding, according to the affidavit.
Director wasn’t certain if the gun being used was checked for safety, according to affidavit
Monday 25 October 2021 05:20 , Peony Hirwani
Director Joel Souza allegedly admitted that he wasn’t certain if the gun being used by Alec Baldwin was checked for safety after work resumed following a break at 12.30pm, according to a latest affidavit.
Souza said he had believed the gun being used in rehearsal was safe, according to the search warrant document released on Sunday (24 October).
“Mr Souza stated there should never be live rounds whatsoever near or around the scene,” the affidavit said, which was reviewed by Wall Street Journal.
The document also states that there were severe delays in production that day as a camera crew had quit, leaving the director in search of new camera operators in the morning.
Why are real guns used on film sets?
Monday 25 October 2021 05:00 , Alex Woodward
Despite CGI and computer technology, many productions still use guns — real guns — when filming.
The tragedy on the set of Rust has revived the question: Why are real guns ever used on set, when computers can create gunshots in post-production? Isn’t even the smallest risk unacceptable?
Let computers do it: Film set tragedy spurs call to ban guns
