What Did Alec Baldwin Delete From Instagram After Firing A Prop Gun That Killed A Crew Member?
Looking back on photos can show you some pretty haunting stuff, even if that wasn't originally its intention. Tragically, this is the case with an image Alec Baldwin shared just hours before firing a prop gun on the set of "Rust" that ended up killing the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and wounding the director, Joel Souza.
The tragic incident occurred on October 21 in New Mexico, where the movie is being filmed, per Santa Fe New Mexican. Police have launched an investigation into the shooting, including finding out "what type of projectile was discharged," per the sheriff's office, as well as determining if the situation was an accident. Baldwin has given a statement to law enforcement, according to the outlet, and no charges have been filed as of now.
"The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today's tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna's family and loved ones," a spokesperson for the film said in a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter. "We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department's investigation. We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event."
Many people are wondering about Baldwin since the incident and have checked his social media. That's when they noticed a recently posted photo to his Instagram page went missing.
Alec Baldwin deleted a photo of him in costume
On October 21, hours before the prop gun incident that killed the film's cinematographer and wounded its director, Alec Baldwin uploaded a photo of himself on the set of "Rust," according to The Sun. In the Instagram photo, which has since disappeared from his page, Baldwin is in costume, looking haggard in his old wild west wardrobe. He is seen wearing dusty boots, holding a cowboy hat, and a bloodied coat, which is seemingly coming from a fake flesh wound on his torso. Since the photo is no longer on Baldwin's Instagram, it seems that it was deleted after the devastating event occurred.
After the shooting, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that director Joel Souza was "taken to the hospital by ambulance and received emergency care," per NBC News. As of October 22, it appears that Souza has since been released from the hospital, according to "Good Morning Britain" (via the Mirror) and "Rust" actor Frances Fisher.
Baldwin has yet to publicly comment on the situation, but was seen distraught outside of the county sheriff's office in photos obtained by Santa Fe New Mexican.
According to the BBC, film sets typically do not mess around with handling prop guns, and hire experts to provide them and teach actors how to use them. However, there have been multiple prop gun deaths in cinema history, including the tragic death of Bruce Lee's son, Brandon, who was killed in 1993 after a prop gun containing a real bullet was fired on the set of "The Crow," per the L.A. Times.