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Alec Baldwin spotted 'in tears' following tragic shooting on set, fans extend support

The actor fired a 'prop firearm' at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounding director Joel Souza, 48

A couple of reporters in New Mexico saw Hollywood star Alec Baldwin 'in tears' following a shooting on the set of the movie 'Rust' that claimed the life of the film's cinematographer and left its director wounded.

63-year-old Baldwin, notorious for his SNL impression of former President Donald J. Trump, is said to have fired a "prop firearm" at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, fatally shooting 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza, 48, in the process. A reporter and a photographer for the local news outlet Santa Fe New Mexican said they saw the '30 Rock' star "in tears" following the tragedy, which has not yet been declared an "accident" by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office at the time of writing.

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In a photo taken by Santa Fe New Mexican photographer Jim Weber, Baldwin appeared to be crying and looking visibly distraught while speaking on the phone outside the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office on Thursday night. Another image showed the actor, dressed in a navy t-shirt and holding a mask, doubled over in the office's parking lot. Sources told the newspaper that Baldwin was interrogated following the incident. However, no charges were filed in connection with the case pending investigation, the sheriff's spokesperson Juan Rios said in a statement. 

According to the New Mexican, Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she succumbed to her injuries. Meanwhile, Souza was treated at the Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe. The newspaper reported that deputies were working the scene to determine how the incident unfolded and what type of projectile was used in the supposed prop firearm.

It's worth noting that Souza has worked with Baldwin in the past. He directed the 2019 film 'Crown Vic,' for which Baldwin was a producer. Some reports initially suggested Souza was severely wounded in Thursday's shooting. However, 'Rust' co-star Frances Fisher tweeted early Friday that the director had been released from the hospital.

"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," the movie's production company Rust Movie Productions told The New York Times in a statement. "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."

Meanwhile, social media was inundated with messages of support and empathy for Baldwin.

"I can’t imagine what Baldwin is going through. That’s a mental prison he will be trapped in for the rest of his life," one tweeted.
 
"Alec Baldwin was reportedly in tears (who could possibly blame him) but I sure wouldn't want to be the person who handed him that prop gun. I feel absolutely terrible for those involved and their families," a comment read.

"Oh, no! And I like Alec Baldwin. It looks like an accident and Baldwin was reportedly "in tears" afterward. It just goes to show you can't trust "prop guns". You don't ever - in your life - point a gun at somebody unless you intend to shoot it," another added.

Some others wondered how such a mishap could have possibly occurred.

"Blanks can kill people at short-range...[the] million-dollar question is why was he firing it at the cinematographer and the director," a user proposed.

"How do you kill one person and injure a second person...?" another asked.

"Why would they have anything but blanks around. How could this get mixed up? A good investigation is needed now. Horrible," another wrote