Alec Baldwin shooting: Halyna Hutchins’ sister feeling ‘great grief’

The sister of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was killed on the set of “Rust” on Thursday, said in an interview that her family was experiencing “a great grief.”

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Photos: Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer killed on 'Rust' set, mourned at candlelight vigil Russ Backers, a stagehand and welder in IATSE Local 33, lays down his union pin for the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a candlelight vigil for her, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. A prop firearm discharged last Thursday by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie in Santa Fe, N.M., killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Svetlana Androsovych, who lives in Indonesia, spoke with the Kyiv Post on Friday from her home in Indonesia, CNN reported. It was the first time she had commented about her younger sister since Hutchins, 42, was killed when actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun he believed was safe to use.

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“I cannot comprehend (her passing),” Androsovych told the Post. “I loved her very much ... I was very proud of her and she was my role model. We were always close and remained in touch, despite the distance.

“I cannot comprehend [her passing]. I loved her very much; I was very proud of her, and she was my role model.” Halyna Hutchins’ younger sister, Svetlana Androsovych, told the Kyiv Post. https://t.co/EB6J5DUzSh
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) October 22, 2021

“This loss is a great grief for our family, and I see how hard it is for our parents. Hopefully, time will ease our heartache.”

Hutchins was born in Ukraine and her parents reside in Kyiv, according to Fox News. She is survived by her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their 9-year-old son, Andros Hutchins, the news network reported.

>> Who was cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, killed by Alec Baldwin’s ‘prop gun’?

Joel Souza, 48, was also wounded when the bullet fired by Baldwin struck Hutchins and also hit the director, who was behind the cinematographer.

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Photos: Alec Baldwin fired 'prop gun' that killed 'Rust' cinematographer, officials say The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office responds to the scene of a fatal accidental shooting at a Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Authorities say a cinematographer has been killed and a director injured Thursday after they were shot by a prop firearm on the "Rust" movie set. (Luis Sanchez-Saturno//Santa Fe New Mexican via AP)

Hutchins was looking into a monitor behind a camera operator lining up her next camera shot when she was killed, according to the Los Angeles Times. Souza was crouching just behind her.

Baldwin removed the gun from its holster once without incident, but the second time he did so, ammunition flew toward the three people around the monitor, the newspaper reported. The bullet missed the camera operator but struck Hutchins and then Souza, according to the Times.

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In a statement, Souza said he was “gutted” by Hutchins’ death.

“She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch, and always pushed me to be better,” Souza said in his statement.

>> Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘Rust’ crew members had safety concerns before incident

“Her determination was admired by many. Her marriage and relationship with her husband is an example to follow -- no quarrels or scandals,” Androsovych told the Post. “It was real love, their beautiful son, is proof of that, we call (Matthew Hutchins) ‘wunderkind’ -- a brilliant and capable boy.”

>> Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘Rust’ director Joel Souza ‘gutted’ by on-set fatality

A candlelight vigil for Hutchins in New Mexico on Saturday night attracted hundreds of mourners, CNN reported.

More Alec Baldwin shooting related stories:

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>> Alec Baldwin shooting: How can a prop gun, blanks kill?

>> Alec Baldwin shooting: Film industry reacts after 1 killed, 1 hurt on ‘Rust’ set

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