Following an incident on the set of Rust, Alec Baldwin’s Western movie, New Mexico has taken control of the location. One crew member was killed and two others were injured.
Filming was taking place at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico on Thursday, when a ‘misfire’ happened involving a prop gun with blanks.
Two people were sent to the hospital, with local Albuquerque station KOB 4 reporting that one of those people have died.
Rust Movie Productions LLC released a statement saying that there was an accident today at Rust. It involved the misfired of a prop gun with blanks.
Incident: The set of the upcoming Western movie Rust, starring Alec Baldwin, has been locked down in New Mexico, following an on-set incident that sent two crew members to the hospital
Two crew members were taken to the hospital, and are now receiving treatment. Production has been halted temporarily. The safety and well-being of our crew and cast remains our top priority,” the statement concluded.
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed to Deadline that the incident was being investigated, with criminal investigators on the scene.
According to the statement of the production company, there is no evidence that any criminal activity was involved in the incident.
Halted: ‘Two crew members have been taken to the hospital and are receiving care. Production has been stopped temporarily The safety and well-being of our casts and crew is our top priority,’ the statement concluded.
Tessa Mentus from Albuquerque’s KOB4 News tweeted a picture from her network’s helicopter, showing a blockage at a church.
‘@santafesheriff investigating incident at #Rust movie set on Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe. Mentus tweeted: “Photo from #Chopper4 shows an abandoned church set blocked off, set security confirms its lockdown.”
Another KOB 4 reporter, Giuli Frendak, shared a photo of a security gate, adding, ‘Security guard at the entrance to the set of Rust”, a western movie in production in #SantaFe, told us the set is on lockdown right now. Couldn’t share anything else. Waiting for more details from Santa Fe Sheriff on today’s incident near Bonanza Creek.’
Church: Albuquerque’s KOB 4 news anchor Tessa Mentus tweeted a photo from her network’s chopper, showing a church set blocked off
Security: Another KOB 4 reporter, Giuli Frendak, shared a photo of a security gate, adding, ‘Security guard at the entrance to the set of Rust”, a western movie in production in #SantaFe, told us the set is on lockdown right now. Couldn’t share anything else. Waiting for more details from Santa Fe Sheriff on today’s incident near Bonanza Creek’
A new report from TMZ reveals details about the incident, which revealed Alec Baldwin was filming a scene that involved a gun being fired.
The gun was supposed be loaded with blanks. However, when the gun fired, either shrapnel, or a bullet struck two people on the set. One of them had to be airlifted into the hospital.
While it’s unclear what was loaded into the gun, the two people who were hit were writer-director Joel Souza, who was reportedly hit in the clavicle, and the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, who was rushed to the hospital via helicopter.
Director: While it’s unclear what was loaded into the gun, the two people who were hit were writer-director Joel Souza (above), who was reportedly hit in the clavicle
Halyna. Halyna Hutchins, Director of Photography, was also hurt in the incident. She was rushed to the hospital via helicopter.
Baldwin was not hurt in the incident. Production was shut down for one day.
Rust is also the screenplay of Souza. It is set in 1880s Kansas and follows a young boy on the run with his grandfather following the accidental murder of a local rancher.
Baldwin stars alongside Travis Fimmel Jensen Ackles, Frances Fisher and Jensen Ackles.
Alec: Baldwin was not injured in the incident, with production shut down for the day after the incident