Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on a movie set in New Mexico, killing the cinematographer and injuring the director.

Local police officials say Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on the movie “Rust,” and director Joel Souza were shot Thursday on the rustic film set in the desert on the southern outskirts of Sante Fe.

According to The Associated Press, a spokesperson for Baldwin said there was an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks, though a charge without a metal projectile is unlikely to kill at a moderate distance.

Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged from the prop gun.

Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Souza, 48, was taken by ambulance to a nearby medical centre where he is undergoing treatment for his injuries.

Production has been halted on the film.