By Adria Malcolm and Alexandra Ulmer

SANTA FE (Reuters) – Alec Baldwin, a Hollywood star, shot a director and killed a cinematographer when he used a prop gun to fire on a New Mexico film set. Police are still looking into the incident.

Halyna Houtchins was flown by helicopter from the scene of the shooting to University of Mexico Hospital where she was declared dead.

According to Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department the incident happened on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set of Rust (NYSE) Ranch. This is a location that produces south of Santa Fe.

Baldwin (63) is the co-producer and star of Rust, a Western movie set 1880s Kansas. Also, Baldwin plays the character named after himself, an outlaw grandfather who has been convicted for an accidental death.

Late Thursday, the sheriff’s office stated that no charges were filed against Baldwin and that an investigation was still “open and active”. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Baldwin made a voluntary statement concerning the shooting at herriff’s offices.

Baldwin representatives didn’t respond to request for comment. People magazine reported Thursday that Baldwin spokespersons called the incident an “accident” that involved the “misfired of a pro-gun with blanks”.

DISTRAUGHT

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Baldwin was “distraught” and in tears outside of the sheriff’s office on Thursday. According to Deadline, an entertainment news website, Baldwin was interrogated and later released. This is citing an insider in the sheriff’s office.

Joel Souza was the film’s producer. He sustained injuries and was taken to hospital by an ambulance. Frances Fisher (actress in the film) said that Joel Souza had texted her to inform me that he was out of hospital.

The spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment and said that he wasn’t allowed to disclose information regarding patients.

Rust has been put on hold for an unknown period, according to multiple news sources. Rust Movie Productions LLC was the production company.

Unanswered email to address for production of film was sent.

On Friday, the road to the site was shut down by security personnel who turned everyone away.

The incident that occurred during filming of “The Crow” brought back painful memories. U.S. actor Brandon Lee was killed by a protruding gun on set.

Our hearts are with the Hutchins family and Joel Souza, as well as all those involved in the Rust incident. “No one should be shot to death on set. “Permanent,” stated a tweet https:// taken from Lee’s Twitter account. His sister handles it.

BANNING SOME PROPGUNS

The incident rekindled debates about the ban of certain kinds of pro guns.

Director Ben Rockula said that the suggestion “doesn’t help them all, but it is time to stop being macho with blanks and end their practice”, via Twitter.

Baldwin posted an earlier photo of himself from the set in cowboy-style clothing with what looked like a fake blood stain.

This post was removed on Thursday night.

Baldwin, best known for impersonating former President Donald Trump in “Saturday Night Live” comedy sketches on NBC, is a versatile actor. He has starred in many comedies as well as dramas throughout his long career in television and film. For his role in “The Cooler”, 1993, Baldwin received an Academy Award nomination. Additionally, he has been nominated multiple Emmys and Golden Globe awards.

Hutchins was born in Ukraine, and grew up in an Arctic Circle Soviet military base. She once worked in Europe as an investigative journalist, according to her website.

In 2015, she graduated from American Film Institute. She was also selected by American Cinematographers as one of the Rising Stars of 2019.

On her Instagram, she described herself as an “Adrenaline junkie”, and a “Restless Dreamer”.

Two days ago her last photo showed her smiling under a broad-brimmed cap as she rode a horse. The caption read, “One advantage of filming a western is that you get to ride horses every day:”)

April Wright was a director, writer and producer who paid tribute on Facebook (NASDAQ):

“I’m in disbelief,” wrote Wright. Wright said, “So young and vibrant. So talented. She is a beautiful soul. “My heart is with her family and son.”

Hutchins representatives did not respond immediately to our request for comment.

“I am so devastated about the loss of Halyna. On Twitter, Adam Egypt Mortimer (director) expressed his anger at the possibility of this happening on set. He worked alongside Hutchins in “Archenemy”, a 2020 film.

She was an amazing talent, who was completely committed to both art and film.”

According to the IMDB website, Souza (48) lives in San Francisco Bay with his wife and their two children. Baldwin also produced the 2019 action film “Crown Vic”, which he wrote, directed and produced.

New Mexico Film Office declined to comment, despite its promotion of the state as an area for television and movies.

Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represents over 160,000 actors and media professionals, stated that it will investigate the incident to “understand how to prevent this from happening again”.