Alec Baldwin shooting – latest: Actor was practicing with prop gun when Halyna Hutchins was killed
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
Alec Baldwin breaks silence after prop gun shooting: ‘My heart is broken’
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
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
Rust’s chief electrician says Halyna Hutchins’ death was due to 'negligence and unprofessionalism’
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
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
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
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
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
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’
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’
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
Gun fired by Alec Baldwin was being used by crew members for target practice, report says
04:50 , Peony Hirwani
The gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin on the set of Rust was being used by crew members of the film for target practice, TMZ reported.
The outlet has learned that an off-set target practice was being allegedly conducted using real bullets, which is how a live round found its way on the set.
Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news by signing up to our free email alerts by clicking here.
Head armourer described as ‘a bit careless’ on former set
04:00 , Alex Woodward
Sources familialiar with the work of the 24-year-old head armourer at the centre of the Alec Baldwin shooting have alleged that she was a “bit careless” during her first role as a head armourer on a film set.
“She was a bit careless with the guns, waving it around every now and again,” said a source to The Daily Beast of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. “There were a couple times she was loading the blanks and doing it in a fashion that we thought was unsafe.”
The source added that on the set of the upcoming Nicolas Cage film, The Old Way, Ms Gutierrez-Reed handed a gun to an 11-year-old child actor without checking the weapon.
She recently said in an interview with a podcast that “loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like ‘oh, I don’t know anything about it”, but her father, longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, helped with her training.
What are the approaches to gun safety on film sets?
03:10 , Alex Woodward
Safety standards developed by film studios and labor unions are the primary protection for actors and film crews when a scene calls for using prop guns. The industry-wide guidance is clear: “Blanks can kill. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.”
Shootings nevertheless have killed and injured people while cameras rolled, including the cinematographer who died and the director who was wounded this week when no one realized a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin during the filming of “Rust” carried live rounds that are far more dangerous than blanks.
As The Associated Press explains, most of the preferred states for film and TV productions take a largely hands-off approach.
Hutchins father refuses to blame Alec Baldwin
02:00 , Alex Woodward
The father of Halynan Hutchins has said he refuses to blame actor Alec Baldwin for the death of his 42-year-old daughter, who was fatally shot on the set of Rust.
Speaking with the Sun On Sunday, Anatoly Androsovych said: “We still can’t believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief, but I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns.”
He added of his grandson: “The little boy has been very badly affected — he is lost without his mother”.
Mr Androsovych added that her husband Matt Hutchins, a corporate lawyer in Latham & Watkins’ Los Angeles office, “will decide if legal action is going to be taken.”
‘Careless’ Rust armourer criticised over safety on previous film, before Alec Baldwin shooting incident
01:00 , Alex Woodward
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, was hired to work as the armourer on the set of Rust.
The Daily Beast reported on Saturday that Ms Gutierrez-Reed was also the armourer on another film set where a firearms mishap shut down production. During work on the upcoming Nicholas Cage film The Old Way, the woman allegedly gave a gun to an 11-year-old actor without properly inspecting it for safety.
‘Careless’ Rust armourer criticised over safety before Alec Baldwin shooting incident
Second vigil for Halyna Hutchins set for Burbank
Monday 25 October 2021 00:00 , Alex Woodward
Following a vigil for cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Saturday, a second vigil will be taking place in Burbank, Los Angeles, with many more cinema workers set to attend.
The vigil, which has also been organised by IATSE, the film and theatre workers union, saw many call for greater safety and better working conditions.
Baldwin ‘canceling other projects’ in wake of fatal set shooting, People magazine reports
Sunday 24 October 2021 22:03 , Alex Woodward
Alec Baldwin – who co-wrote, produces and stars in Rust – is reportedly “canceling other projects” in the wake of an apparent accidental on-set shooting that left director of photography Halyna Hutchins dead and director Joel Souza injured, an anonymous source tells People magazine.
He is reportedly taking “some time to himself and re-center himself” after he was “absolutely inconsolable for hours” following the shooting, the magazine reported, citing an anonymous source.
Witnesses say they complained previously about assistant director’s unsafe practices
Sunday 24 October 2021 22:00 , Alex Woodward
The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin a loaded prop gun is an industry veteran who’d been the subject of safety complaints for at least two years, according to former on-set coworkers.
Maggie Goll, an IATSE Local 44 prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician, told CNN that she’d worked with Mr Halls in 2019 and found that he failed to both hold safety meetings and consistently follow protocol when it came to announcing the presence of firearms on set.
“The only reason the crew was made aware of a weapon’s presence was because the assistant prop master demanded Dave acknowledge and announce the situation each day,” Ms Goll said in a statement to CNN.
Alec Baldwin shooting witnesses ‘previously complained’ about assistant director
Donald Trump Jr ridicules Alec Baldwin
Sunday 24 October 2021 21:10 , Alex Woodward
The eldest son of former US president Donald Trump appeared to ridicule actor Alec Baldwin following the misfiring that killed Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer on the set of Rust.
Mr Trump posted a photo of the actor – who famously spoofed his father, America’s 45th president, on Saturday Night Live – that was captioned: ‘That look when an anti gun nut kills more people with a gun than your extensive firearm collection ever has...’
As Sheila Flynn writes, the memes came as many were mourning for Ms Hutchins:
Donald Trump, Jr ridicules Alec Baldwin online in wake of film set tragedy
Production company to conduct internal probe
Sunday 24 October 2021 20:40 , Gino Spocchia
The company producing Rust will reportedly begin an internal investigation into what unfolded on Thursday, when an assistant director handed actor Alec Baldwin a loaded firearm that was misfired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
According to a report in Deadline, Rust Movie Productions LLC said it would conduct an internal probe into what wrong along with that by New Mexico authorities.
The statement, however, appeared to disagree with reports that crew members raised complaints about working conditions and safety in the days and hours before Ms Hutchins’ death.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company,” said the 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.”
“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.”
Another film star speaks out after Rust shooting
Sunday 24 October 2021 20:10 , Gino Spocchia
Famous faces in Hollywood and beyond have been among those to pay tribute to Halyna Hutchins following Thursday’s tragedy.
That includes actor Elijah Wood, of the Lord of The Rings fame, who tweeted sympathies...
Absolutely horrifying and devastating news about cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. My heart goes out to her family.
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) October 22, 2021
Head armourer was trained by father, Thell Reed
Sunday 24 October 2021 19:40 , Gino Spocchia
#icymi
Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, was the armorer on the set of Rust, which has since suspended production in New Mexico after the fatal shooting on Thursday of Halyna Hutchins.
She is the daughter of longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, who has trained Hollywood stars such as Russell Crowe how to handle guns and other prop weapons.
Ms Reed recently told podcast Voices of the West that she’d tried her hand at acting and modeling before settling on more behind-the-scenes work.
“I kind of just tried [armourer work] with dad one time, and then I noticed I had a really natural knack for it, growing up around guns my whole life.”
She added that “I think loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like ‘oh, I don’t know anything about it”, but explained that her father helped with her training, as Sheila Flynn writes.
‘Loading blanks was the scariest thing to me’: Rust head armourer new to job
