After the fatal shot of Hollywood star Alec Baldwin (63) on cinematographer Halyna Hutchins († 42), the shock also sits deeply with the director and screenwriter of the western “Rust”.
Joel Souza (48) was crouching behind Hutchins at the moment when Baldwin fired the ball on the film set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was also shot and had to go to the hospital. But he survived and spoke up for the first time after the tragic accident.
Souza was lucky in the misfortune, the shot from the film gun hit him in the shoulder. His severe injury was painful but not life-threatening. After treatment at the Christ St. Vincent Medical Center, he was released from the hospital.
Alec Baldwin can’t believe what happened at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His film gun accidentally stuck live ammunition, and a tragic accident occurred in which a camerawoman diedPhoto: Jim Weber / AP
He has not yet processed what happened. But just like everyone else, who will probably never forget this bad day, he mourns the loss of his colleague, who leaves behind a desperate man, a 9-year-old son and devastated parents.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of my friend and colleague Halyna,” he told the film site.Deadline“. “She was friendly, lively, incredibly talented, fought for every detail and always drove me to get better.”
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after being accidentally hit by a real bullet from a film gun while filming the western “Rust” in New Mexico on ThursdayPhoto: americanfilminstitute / Instagram
During this difficult time, his thoughts were mainly with her family, said the director.
He continued, “I am humble and grateful for the tremendous affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have come forward … that will surely help me with my recovery.”
The whole of Hollywood is dismayed by the death of chief camerawoman Halyna Hatchins by the accidentally triggered shot from Alec Baldwin’s film pistol, which was supposed to contain blank cartridges.
The investigations are now mainly focused on the 24-year-old Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for the safety of the prop weapons during the shoot and who prepared the weapon, it is said.
In the meantime it has also become known that some members of the Film crew with the film gun that cost the camerawoman Halyna her life, are said to have made shooting practice outside of the set for fun. With real ammunition. That could also be the reason why there was a real bullet in the weapon instead of a blank cartridge. The investigation is ongoing.
During a vigil in New Mexico on Saturday, many people remembered camerawoman Hutchins, who was shot in the upper body in an accident on the film set in Santa Fe and was pronounced dead a little later in the hospitalPhoto: Andres Leighton / AP