A woman has died and a man has been injured after actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop firearm on the set of new Western movie Rust, authorities have confirmed.
Per BBC News, the woman has been named as Halyna Hutchins, a 42-year-old director of photography, and the injured man is Joel Souza, the film's director.
Hutchins was transported via helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital, but was later pronounced dead, per Deadline.
Souza was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, but has since been discharged, actress Frances Fisher wrote on Twitter.
The shooting happened on the film set in New Mexico, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said.
A spokesman for 63-year-old Baldwin, who is producing and starring in the film, said there was an accident involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks, per BBC News.
Meanwhile, Juan Rios, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said: "This investigation remains open and active. No charges have been filed in regard to this incident. Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives."
He added that detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged.
In a statement to AFP news agency, a Santa Fe sheriff spokesman said Baldwin had spoken to detectives: "He came in voluntarily and he left the building after he finished his interviews."
Police responded to the set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch at about 2 PM local time, following emergency calls of a person being shot there.
Rust's production has been halted. Two days ago, Hutchins posted a picture on Instagram showing Rust's film crew on the set.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Baldwin was seen on Thursday, October 21, outside the sheriff's office in tears but refused to comment.
The police added that the investigation remains "open and active" and that "no charges have been filed in regard to the incident" so far.
Per Independent, Hutchins's death was confirmed by the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600.
In a statement to Variety, guild president John Lindley and executive director Rebecca Rhine said: "We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called Rust in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set.
"This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s family."
Hutchins was named a "rising star" by American Cinematographer magazine in 2019 and was director of photography on the 2020 action film Archenemy, starring Joe Manganiello.
