Actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop firearm on a movie set near Sante Fe, killing the film's director of photography and injuring the director, according to the sheriff's office of Santa Fe County, N.M.
Halyna Hutchins, 42, was airlifted Thursday afternoon, to the University of New Mexico hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Director Joel Souza, 48, was being cared for at Christus St. Vincent Medical Center as of Thursday evening.
Deputies responded about 2 p.m. to the Rust movie set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch after 911 calls came in of a person being shot on set, Juan Rios, a spokesman for the sheriff said.
"According to investigators, it appears that the scene being filmed involved the use of a prop firearm when it was discharged," sheriff's spokesman Rios told the Albuquerque Journal. "Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged."
The investigation is ongoing and authorities say no charges have been filed in this incident, the sheriff's office said. Detectives are continuing to interview witnesses.
Production has so far been halted on the Western movie, which is being directed by Souza with Baldwin producing and starring.
A spokesperson for Baldwin said only there was an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks.
A publicist and manager contacted by NPR for further comment didn't immediately respond.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Baldwin was seen Thursday outside the sheriff's office in tears, but attempts to get a comment from him were unsuccessful.
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