Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins killed with a prop gun on set.

Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on the set of his new film, authorities have said.

The movie, Rust, was being filmed at the Bonanza Creek ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, and filming has been temporarily suspended.

Mr Baldwin released a statement on Friday to say he was “heart broken”.

“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,”

he wrote in a post on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

“My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

Tragic accidents begs the question "Are prop guns still viable?'

An Associated Press report from 2016 said that from 1990 at least 43 people died on sets in the U.S. and more than 150 had been left with life-altering injuries.

However tragic, experts say this is rare;

"It is an extremely rare circumstance that anything like this happens. Especially nowadays when there are so many different procedures and policies in place," said Kevin Williams, the prop department supervisor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. "This is one of these freak accidents."

Despite these statements this is not the first high profile accident involving a prop gun on set...

Jon-Erik Hexum (left) died in 1984 from injuries sustained from a prop gun on a television set. The death of American actor Brandon Lee (shown here in 1986) during the filming of The Crow garnered worldwide attention and prompted changes on how firearms are treated on sets.

Wally Fong/AP; Lacy Atkins/AP

‘Extra’ Archive: Michael Massee on Brandon Lee’s Death (2005 Interview)

Are prop guns still viable?

let us know your thoughts in the comments bellow...

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