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Alec Baldwin Says 'No Words to Convey My Shock and Sadness' After Accidental Shooting on Film Set Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured Thursday

after Alec Baldwin accidentally misfired a prop gun on the set of his upcoming western film in New Mexico

By Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble is the Executive Editor, News at PEOPLE. She have been working at PEOPLE for seven years. Her work has previously appeared in POPSUGAR, Us

Weekly and Entertainment Weekly.People Editorial GuidelinesPublished on October 22, 2021 11:50AM EDT Alec Baldwin has spoken out in the wake of a tragic shooting on the set of his upcoming

film Rust, which left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead and director Joel Souza injured.

In a two-part statement issued on Twitter, Baldwin wrote, "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife,

mother and deeply admired colleague of ours."

"I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken

for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna," continued the actor.

Debra Messing Defends Alec Baldwin After Accidental Shooting on Movie Set: 'A Catastrophic Event' Earlier on Thursday, a spokesperson for Baldwin told PEOPLE that "there was an accident

today on the New Mexico set of Rust involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks." Reps for Baldwin did not respond to PEOPLE's request for additional comment.

For more on the shooting on the Rust set, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Hutchins was killed and director Souza was injured after star and producer Baldwin, 63, accidentally misfired a prop gun at the Bonanza Creek Ranch set in New Mexico. Upon further

investigation, the local sheriff's department learned that Hutchins, 42, and Souza, 48, were "shot when a prop firearm was discharged" by Baldwin. The local prop master's union has said that

the gun Baldwin fired contained "a live round," according to an email viewed by IndieWire, though authorities have not confirmed.

Alec Baldwin; Halyna Hutchins; Joel Souza.Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images; Mat Hayward/Getty Images; Ron Adar/SOPA Images/Shutterstock The film set has since been shut down, with production

indefinitely paused, according to the production company, Rust Movie Productions LLC.

The company said in a statement Thursday, "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.

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."

Alec Baldwin Seen Distraught After Accidental Shooting on Set of Rust Movie, Killing Cinematographer Hutchins was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she died from her

injuries, according to the sheriff's department. Souza was hospitalized but his reps told Deadline he has since been released.

So far, no charges have been filed. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

Hutchins' husband Matthew Hutchins told Insider on Friday, "I don't think there are words to communicate the situation."

"I am not going to be able to comment about the facts or the process of what we're going through right now, but I appreciate that everyone has been very sympathetic," he continued. "I think

that we will need a little bit of time before we can really encapsulate her life in a way that is easy to communicate."

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