Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins death news shocks the world; Hollywood celebs pay tribute

Production has been stopped on the Western film Rust, which was being directed by Joel Souza with Alec Baldwin producing and starring in it.

Authorities are interrogating after verifying that a prop firearm fired by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and featuring in a Western film, killed the cinematographer and wounded the director.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s officials told Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on the film “Rust,” and director Joel Souza was shot Thursday on the rustic movie set in the desert on the southern outskirts of Santa Fe.

Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was declared dead by medical personnel, the sheriff’s department said.

Souza was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he is going through treatment for his wounds.

The bizarre incident left those who knew and worked with Hutchins in an awful shock. Many celebrities comprising Elijah Wood, Joe Manganiello and more conveyed their sorrow over the passing of Hutchins in moving social media posts. Also, director James Gunn wrote, "My greatest fear is that someone will be fatally hurt on one of my sets. I pray this will never happen. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy today on Rust, especially Halyna Hutchins & her family."

Also, Manganiello who worked with Hutchins on Archenemy inscribed, "I was so lucky to have had @halynahutchins as my DP on Archenemy. She was an absolutely incredible talent and a great person. She had such an eye and a visual style, she was the kind of cinematographer that you wanted to see succeed because you wanted to see what she could pull off next." 

To check out the post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVURvOnMWXv/?utm_medium=copy_link

Dwayne Johnson also conveyed his condolences over Hutchins' death as she wrote a comment on the late cinematographer's last Instagram post saying, "I am so so sorry. Rest easy. My love and strength to your family." 

In her last post on the photosharing app, Hutchins had provided a glance of the Rust set and was seen appreciating horse riding as she named it a perk to get to work on a western movie.