The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while filming a western caused horror worldwide. Now further background of the incident comes to light.
Santa Fe – After the death of a camerawoman from a supposedly harmless prop weapon while shooting a film with Hollywood star Alec Baldwin, new details came to light.
As the broadcaster CNN and other US media reported on Monday (local time), the assistant director who handed over the gun to Baldwin was sacked in 2019 because of a similar incident in a film. During the shooting of “Freedom’s Path” a sound technician was slightly injured after a prop gun went off unexpectedly, it said, citing the production company of the film.
Filming was interrupted at the time and the assistant director was immediately removed from the set and then dismissed. He regretted the incident very much and understood the reasons for his dismissal, it said in a statement from the production company. It was not known what kind of injury the sound engineering employee was. All that was said was that a paramedic on set advised him to see a doctor. Days later, the employee was able to return to the shoot.
In the incident during the filming of the western “Rust” with Baldwin (63) on a film ranch in New Mexico, the 42-year-old head camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was fatally injured by a shot from a prop weapon. According to a police report, assistant director Baldwin had said when handing over the pistol that it was a “cold weapon” with no ammunition. According to his own statement, the assistant did not know that there was a cartridge in the weapon.
Director Joel Souza (48) was injured in the shoulder in the incident, but has since left the hospital. According to media reports, the accident happened when Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in which he was supposed to pull the pistol out of his belt holster and shoot it – aimed at the camera. At the time, Souza stood behind cameraman Hutchins and looked over her shoulder. No criminal charges have been made so far. Filming has been suspended. The assistant director has not yet commented on the new reports, it said. dpa
