'Rust' filmmaker Joel Souza breaks silence after colleague Halyna Hutchins' death

Souza remembered Hutchins as an "incredibly talented" cinematographer, after he survived the prop-gun shooting on set that ended his friend's life.

"Rust" film director Joel Souza, who is recovering after he and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were shot with a prop gun fired by producer and actor Alec Baldwin on set Thursday, said he is "gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague" Hutchins, who was killed.

"She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch and always pushed me to be better," Souza said in a statement to NBC News.

Hutchins was working as the director of photography for “Rust” alongside Souza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, when Baldwin discharged the prop firearm. Hutchins was flown by helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, while Souza was taken to a hospital by ambulance, officials said.

"My thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time," Souza said.

Matt Hutchins, Halyna Hutchins' husband, opened up Friday about the tragedy in his first social media post since his wife's death.

"Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words," he tweeted alongside a photo of his late wife and their son. "Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life."

Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words. Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life. pic.twitter.com/LgEp4XVkja

— Matt Hutchins (@mhutchins) October 23, 2021

Family, friends and film industry colleagues have been expressing their condolences and posting tributes to her work on social media for the past few days.

"She decided early on she would take the craft of cinematography by storm and the last couple of years proved she was well on her way," Halyna Hutchins' team said in a statement Friday. "Her talent was immense, only surpassed by the love she had for her family." 

"All those in her orbit knew what was coming; a star director of photography, who would be a force to be reckoned with," her team added.

Souza, 48, said he is "humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out."

"It will surely aid in my recovery," he added.

Source nbc