- On Thursday,
Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set of "Rust " that killed the film's cinematographer. - Baldwin's niece Hailey Beiber said she was "absolutely heartbroken" about the incident.
Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) said on her Instagram Story that she is "absolutely heartbroken for everyone involved" after her uncle, Alec Baldwin, fired a prop gun on the set of "Rust" in New Mexico last Thursday killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
According to an affidavit, the assistant director had said the prop gun did not have live rounds before it was handed to Baldwin to carry out a rehearsal during which the gun was fired. However, the gun did in fact contained live rounds, one of which killed Hutchins, a prop masters union later said.
Bieber wrote on her Instagram Story following the incident (via People): "Sending all my love to the family of
Bieber was one of many in Hollywood to pay tribute to Hutchins on Friday. Alec Baldwin also tweeted about the incident.
"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," Baldwin wrote. "I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred."
Baldwin added in a second tweet: "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."
On Sunday, Hutchins' husband tweeted: "Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words. Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family's privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life."
-Matt Hutchins (@mhutchins) October 23, 2021
The New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau is currently investigating the accidental shooting according to Deadline. The Los Angeles Times reported that the camera crew on the set of "Rust" walked off set to protest safety conditions on Thursday morning just before the incident.
Jonathan McAbee, an actor who knew Hutchins and had spoken to the crew of "Rust" told People that Hutchins had stayed behind during the protest because she felt "responsible" for peoples' jobs on the movie.