Alec Baldwin shooting news – Tributes to Halyna Hutchins after gun accident as Rust armorer deletes Twitter and Facebook

UKRAINE'S FOREIGN MINISTRY DEMANDS AN INVESTIGATION

Ukraine's foreign ministry has asked diplomats in San Francisco to urgently investigate the circumstances of her death.

A spokesman said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirms that Ms Halyna Hutchins, who was killed during the process of filming on the territory of the USA, has Ukrainian citizenship.

“The Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco has been asked to clarify the circumstances and is co-operating with American law enforcement representatives.

“The Consulate also establishes contacts with relatives in order to provide the necessary assistance.”

Halyna grew up in Kiev.

HALYNA’S BACKGROUND

Halyna had written that she grew up on a Russian military base “surrounded by reindeer and nuclear submarines” and her father was reported to be a former member of the Soviet navy.

She spoke English and Russian, graduated from Kiev University in journalism and often found work as a BBC documentary producer.

ALEC ASKED WHY HE WAS HANDED A 'HOT' WEAPON

Baldwin's gun reportedly had live ammo in it as the star was heard asking "why was I handed a hot gun" after accidentally shooting a crew member on set.

According to , the Hollywood star was distraught following the tragic accident and questioned why the gun was loaded.

Photos captured Alec sobbing outside of a local police station in Sante Fe, New Mexico where the incident occurred.

HALYNA'S FAMILY 'BESIDE THEMSELVES'

Friends said dad Antoly and mum Olga were “beside themselves with grief” after being told of the tragedy by her husband, Matthew.

A pal in Kiev, Ukraine, where Halyna grew up said: “The family is grieving but at the same time they are asking and they will want answers. If someone made a mistake then they will have to pay.

“They just don’t understand how something dreadful like this could have happened when safety measures are supposed to be in place.

“They are also frantically trying to secure documents to get to the United States. Her mother does not have the correct paperwork.”

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH &SAFETY BUREAU INVESTIGATION

A representative of the OHSB exclusively told The Sun: "On Thursday evening, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) learned through the New Mexico Film Office of a workplace fatality and an injury to a second person that occurred during filming on a movie set in Santa Fe County.

"The production company reported the fatality and injury to OHSB last night, in accordance with workplace safety laws."

"OHSB is investigating the incident in coordination with law enforcement, the employer, and employees. No additional information will be released at this time, pending completion of the investigation," the statement concluded.

WHAT THE WARRANT SAYS, CONTINUED

Assistant director Dave Halls grabbed the gun from the cart, believing it was unloaded, and brought it inside to Alec, the warrant says.

It's not clear at this time how many rounds were fired.

Gutierrez-Reed, 24, said in a recent podcast interview that she had trained from a young age. She also said that she had recently completed her first job as a head armorer on a film called The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage.

Halls has been in the business for decades, working as an assistant director on major productions like Fargo, The Matrix Reloaded, and Reno 911.

The gun that went off and other prop guns and ammunition were taken in as evidence, as well as Alec's blood-stained costume, the warrant says.

WHAT THE WARRANT SAYS

The gun Alec Baldwin fired in the fatal shooting on the Rust movie set was handed to the actor loaded with a live round, according to a warrant from the ongoing police investigation.

The warrant says that an assistant director handed the gun to the actor and told him that it was "cold" before he fired it, fatally striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza on Thursday.

The warrant, obtained by the Associated Press, also says that the assistant director was not aware that the gun was loaded.

The gun that was fired was one of three laid on a cart by the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

STAFF TREATMENT WOES ALLEGEDLY LEAD TO WALKOUT

The gun given to Alec Baldwin on set had been reportedly handled by replacement staff following a mass walkout over safety concerns. 

The unidentified employee was hired to replace someone else amid chaos on the set, according to a source.

Another source told  a crew of workers had walked off the film’s set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Thursday morning what they alleged were poor safety protocols.

PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP FORESHADOWED TRAGEDY

Hours before Thursday's fatal accident, where Hutchins was killed and the film's director Joel Souza was injured, seven of the film's camera crew stormed off the set.

One member of the crew wrote about the issues on a private Facebook group, according to Deadline.

"We cited everything from lack of payment for three weeks, taking our hotels away despite asking for them in our deals, lack of Covid safety, and on top of that, poor gun safety!" the post said.

"Poor on-set safety period!"

The staff member alleged that "they brought in four non-union guys to replace us and tried calling the cops on us."

HAILEY BIEBER SHARES CONDOLENCES

In a post shared with her 38.8 million followers, 24-year-old Hailey wrote: "Sending all my love to the family of Halyna Hutchins. This is a truly unimaginable and devastating tragedy.

"My thoughts are also with Joel Souza as he recovers. I am absolutely heartbroken for everyone involved."

On Thursday night her father, Stephen Baldwin, requested prayers via Instagram.

Stephan, 55, wrote: "Asking for your prayers tonight friends not much can be said other than please pray for all involved in the wake of this tragic accident thank you."

In his caption he cited Psalm 91 which reads in part: "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

'IT'S HAVING YOUR WHOLE WORLD FLIP UPSIDE DOWN'

Brandon Lee's sister, Shannon, said her family is heartbroken and supports banning real guns from sets following another accidental shooting from what was supposed to be a prop gun.

"I think we wish we had thought to do more 28 years ago, and we would love to do that now," said Shannon about her brother's death while talking to .

Lee said she feels for the family of Halyna Hutchins.

"It’s having your whole world flip upside down," she recalled.

"There should be compassion for all the pain everyone is going through.”

HALYNA'S FRIEND POSTS TRIBUTE: 'YOU DESERVE TO BE HERE'

A close friend of Halyna’s, writer and director Li Lu, posted a tribute on Instagram.

Lu claims the cinematographer previously hit out at producers on recent projects for acting "selfishly and dangerously."

In a moving post, she wrote: "Halyna, you were one of the hardest working people that I have ever met.

"You loved cinema - completely and utterly. You were a friend and colleague. You were a great mom. 

"The last time we spoke, you lamented how producers on recent projects acted selfishly and dangerously. How people who finance films thought their money could be traded for the decency, safety, and honour of all else on set. 

"How often we tell ourselves to 'buck up.' Because we are tough. Because as women, we gotta show we can take it. Because we must sacrifice, to achieve our dreams. 

"It's not f***ing worth it. You deserve to be here. With your family."

STAFF ‘WOULDN’T GO BACK’ TO THE ‘CURSED’ RUST SET

An on-set source also told The Sun they felt movie makers were “cutting corners to save a buck” after it was revealed several camera crew workers walked off to protest working conditions hours before the tragedy.

They said: “I wouldn’t go back to the set if I was asked, it’s cursed.”

Camera operators and their assistants were frustrated by issues like long hours and pay, according to a number of outlets.

Someone from the production staff ordered union members to leave the set and said if they didn’t leave, the producers would call security and they would be removed.

CO-STAR SPEAKS PRIOR TO SHOOTING

A video surfaced of Jensen Ackles speaking at a fan event in Denver to promote his CW show Supernatural.

According to, the video clip was made sometime between October 15-17, 2021.

In the video, Ackles says, “I’ve got a 6 a.m. call tomorrow to have a big shootout. They had me pick my gun, they were like, ‘Alright, what gun would you like?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ and the armorer was like, ‘Do you have gun experience?’ I was like, ‘A little.’ And she’s like, ‘Okay, well, this is how you load it, this is how we check it and make sure it’s safe.’”

No word if Ackles was part of the shooting scene which killed Halyna Hutchins or if the armorer Ackles referred to was the same one who worked with Baldwin.

Many of the video links have been taken down and Ackles hasn’t commented on the accident.

PRIOR GUN-RELATED INCIDENT ON RUST FILM SET

According to a new report from , there had been a gun-related incident on the film set before Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by the actor.

Alec Baldwin's stunt double reportedly accidentally fired two rounds of ammunition prior to the incident.

That double misfire was one of many safety concerns raised by crew members on the film's New Mexico set.

Hours before the shooting, a number of people employed to work on the film walked off over safety fears.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BELIEVED GUN WAS SAFE

The vintage Colt pistol Baldwin fired in the fatal shooting on the Rust movie set was handed to the actor loaded with a live round, according to a warrant from the ongoing police investigation.

The warrant says that an assistant director handed the gun to the actor and told him that it was "cold" before he fired it, fatally striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza on Thursday.

The warrant, obtained by the Associated Press, also says that the assistant director was not aware that the gun was loaded.

HALYNA HUTCHIN'S LAST POSTS

She was excited to be working on the film Rust, with Alec Baldwin.

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HELD FOR HALYNA

A vigil was held on Saturday at the Albuquerque Civic Plaza and was hosted by the International Cinematographers Guild.

“Let’s gather together to honor Halyna and her accomplishments, and grieve together as one,” said the guild to its members.

“Join us Saturday or Sunday night for a candlelight vigil for Halyna, who will always remain in our hearts.”

Attendees at the Albuquerque vigil were seen holding candles, and some held signs demanding better safety measures on film sets.

‘IT WAS HER DREAM TO LIVE IN AMERICA’

One of Halyna’s college friends Yana Nestoliy said: “She was a wonderful woman and a dear friend and mother.

“Her parents are devastated and are trying to get to the US to see her but it is very difficult for them. I heard from another friend that it was Matthew who called them to break the news.

“She was fantastic at her work and after she left Kiev University she moved to the United States but she would often come back to Europe to work.

“Her mum wants to go to the US to see her and find out what exactly happened but is having trouble with her documents.

“It was her dream to live in America and make films and now she has died for her dream.”

HALYNA'S DAD DOES NOT BLAME ALEC

The distraught father of shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has insisted Alec Baldwin was not responsible for his daughter's shocking death.

Speaking for the first time since the tragedy, Anatoly Androsovych said the blame lay instead with the movie armory team who handed the actor a loaded revolver.

Ukrainian Anatoly told The Sun on Sunday last night: “We still can’t believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief.

"But I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns.”

CO-STAR SYMPATHIZES WITH ALEC BALDWIN

Ashton, who's had a small role in Breaking Bad, said when he got to the New Mexico set it was closed off due to the accident.

“It’s basically, it’s a terrible shame, I wish precautions would’ve been taken so that it didn’t happen," he told the . "But I don’t know what exactly did happen, the sheriff will tell, you know, so I can’t say, so I haven’t really thought about it all that much because I don’t have much to go on.”

The actor believed that many of his fellow co-stars and crew will need to speak with counselors after the tragedy.

He also sympathized with Baldwin, who was seen talking on his cell phone and crying outside of the Santa Fe Sherriff's Office after the accident.

“He must be in terrible shape for having that happen to him, I feel bad for him and I’m sure he’s in misery over it … I would expect he would be,” he said. “He’s going to take a while to get settled, anybody would.”

FILM ARMORER SHARES THREAD OF INFO ON TWITTER

S.L. Huang, a Hugo-award-winning author and film armorer, spent time on Twitter answering commonly asked questions about guns on film sets.

"Blank guns are real guns. Semi-autos are what we call "blank adapted" but that is purely for the *function* of the gun, not for safety (a projectile could still exit)," Huang wrote.

The vintage Colt pistol shot on set could have discharged a bullet, or a piece of shrapnel that was lodged in the chamber.

ARMORER GOES DARK ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The armorer who handled the "loaded gun" before the fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin's set has shut down her social media accounts.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, has removed her Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts after images emerged of her toting guns.

Sources have said that she cancelled her social media accounts, including one under the name "no_son_of_a_gun" on legal advice following the tragic shooting.

ALEC BALDWIN CANCELING PROJECTS

It has been reported that Alec Baldwin is "inconsolable" after the deadly shooting that took place at the Rust movie set.

A source close to the star told People that Baldwin is canceling other projects to "take some time to himself and re-center himself."

No charges have been filed in the shooting, as of October 24.

911 CALL REVEALS MOMENTS AFTER THE SHOOTING

A 911 recording , a woman who identifies herself as the movie’s script supervisor is heard blaming the accident on someone whose name is apparently bleeped out.

She said: “This motherf***ker. He’s supposed to check the guns. He’s responsible for what happened.”