Alec Baldwin shooting: actor says ‘my heart is broken’ after prop gun death of Halyna Hutchins on set of Rust

Alec Baldwin has said his “heart is broken” for the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after her death on the set of the film Rust.

The 63-year-old misfired a prop gun during filming for the 19th Century western film Rust, killing Hutchins and leaving director Joel Souza injured.

The actor confirmed he is “fully co-operating” with the police investigation after he fired a prop gun on the US set of the Western, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

‘No words to convey my shock and sadness’

In a statement posted on his arts foundation’s social media account, Baldwin described the event as a “tragedy” and said he is in communication with Hutchins’s husband.

The tweets said: “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 I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

Rust’s director of photography Hutchins was killed during the incident on Thursday, officials in Santa Fe, New Mexico, previously confirmed.

The 42-year-old was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital but she was pronounced dead.

Actress Frances Fisher, who stars in the film, said on Friday that director Souza, 48, had been discharged from hospital.

“Director Joel Souza told me he’s out of hospital,” she wrote on Twitter.

Tributes paid to cinematographer

The camera crew for television series His Dark Materials have paid tribute to Halyna Hutchins, who has died after being shot by a prop firearm discharged by actor Alec Baldwin on a film set.

A photograph of a clapperboard bearing the words RIP Halyna Hutchins was posted on the HBO programme’s official Twitter page in tribute to the director of photography.

“We were devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Halyna Hutchins in the USA,” the post said.

“Our wonderful camera crew created this on set today to pay tribute to ‘one of us’.”

Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson also paid tribute to Hutchins.

The actor, also known as The Rock, commented on Hutchins’ last Instagram post, a video she shared two days ago of herself horse-riding on set, writing that a “perk” of working on a Western was that “you get to ride horses on your day off”.

Johnson wrote: “I am so so sorry. Rest easy. My love and strength to your family.”

Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello, who recently worked with Hutchins on the film Archenemy, also paid tribute to her.

He wrote on Instagram: “I woke up to the messages and read the news and I am in shock. I was so lucky to have had @halynahutchins as my DP on Archenemy.

“She was an absolutely incredible talent and a great person. She had such an eye and a visual style, she was the kind of cinematographer that you wanted to see succeed because you wanted to see what she could pull off next.”

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