‘Rust’ crew member dies after prop gun misfires on set of Alec Baldwin film
Another male crew member is in emergency care
An accident on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie, “Rust,” at the Bonanza Creek Ranch on the outskirts of Sante Fe, New Mexico, sent two members of the film crew to the hospital. One of them, a woman, has died, Fox News has confirmed.
A press release from the Santa Fe Sheriff Department said deputies were dispatched to the set around 1:50 p.m. local time, and the call indicated that an individual had been shot.
Investigators said that the prop firearm was being used during filming when it was discharged. Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged, the sheriff said.
According to the media release, one shooting victim – a 42-year-old female – was transported via helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she later died, the sheriff’s office confirmed.
An accident on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie, ‘Rust,’ at the Bonanza Creek Ranch on the outskirts of Sante Fe, New Mexico sent two members of the film crew to the hospital. A woman has died and a man remains hospitalized. (Jim Spellman/Getty Images)
The second victim – a 42-year-old male – was transported by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he is receiving emergency care.
A production spokesperson from Rust Movie Productions LLC told Deadline in a statement Thursday that the accident involved “the misfire of a prop gun with blanks” and that “production has been halted for the time being.”
“The safety of our cast and crew remains our top priority,” the statement adds.
A spokesperson for the department relayed to Deadline that criminal investigators were called to the set on the Bonanza Creek Ranch Thursday afternoon. It’s unclear if that’s standard police protocol.
The sheriff’s office said in its statement that the accident remains under active investigation.
In ‘Rust,’ Alec Baldwin stars as Harland Rust, an outlaw who helps his estranged grandson get out of prison in Kansas after the 13-year-old is ‘convicted of an accidental murder and sentenced to hang.’ (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File)
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In the film, Baldwin stars as Harland Rust, an outlaw who helps his estranged grandson get out of prison in Kansas after the 13-year-old is “convicted of an accidental murder and sentenced to hang,” according to Deadline.
Earlier on Thursday, Baldwin shared a photo of himself in full character to Instagram with the caption: “Back to in person at the office. Blimey … it’s exhausting.”
A rep for Baldwin as well as reps for the production company did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Fox News’ Lauryn Overhultz and Mariah Haas contributed to this report.