US actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shots female cinematographer dead during movie shoot

A woman died after being shot with a prop firearm by actor and producer Alec Baldwin on a movie set, police in New Mexico said on Friday.

Officials said cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died of her injuries and that director Joel Souza had also been wounded in the incident.

What do we know so far?

Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said the incident occurred on the set of the independent movie Rust.

Officials said no charges had been filed against the 68-year-old Baldwin, who was in tears outside the police headquarters, according to witnesses.

Production has been halted on the film.

A spokesperson for Baldwin said there had been an accident that involved the accidental firing of a prop gun with blanks.

As a graduate of the American Film Institute, Hutchins was named as one of industry magazine American Cinematographer's "Rising Stars" for 2019.

She was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Director Souza, 48, was rushed to a separate hospital by ambulance where he was reportedly undergoing treatment for his injuries.

Baldwin is well-known in recent years for his impersonations of former US President Donald Trump on the NBC comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live."

He has a long history in television and film, appearing in movies such as "Beetlejuice," "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "30 Rock."