Husband of woman killed on set of 'Rust' breaks silence with heartbreaking statement

Husband of woman killed on set of 'Rust' breaks silence with heartbreaking statement
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The husband of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin with a prop gun on the set of the Western film "Rust" on Thursday, is speaking out on social media for the first time.

"Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words," Mike Hutchins tweeted on Friday night.

"Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief," he continued. "We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life."

The tweet was paired with an image showing his late wife with their eight-year-old son.

The 42-year-old rising star, who was the film's director of photography, was accidentally shot when Baldwin fired a prop weapon on set. She was taken by helicopter to University of New Mexico Hospital and was pronounced dead, according to police.

“Halyna Hutchins was a ray of light," her agents told TODAY via email on Friday. "Always smiling, always hopeful. 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. 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."

Sundance Film Festival Kickoff Party (Mat Hayward / Getty Images for AMC Networks)
Sundance Film Festival Kickoff Party (Mat Hayward / Getty Images for AMC Networks)

"All of us at Innovative Artists are heartbroken. We mourn for her family and we hope this tragedy will reveal new lessons for how to better ensure safety for every crew member on set.”

Baldwin said Friday that his "heart is broken" and he is cooperating with law enforcement after the tragic accident.

"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," Baldwin tweeted on Friday. "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."