Alec Baldwin Cancels Other Film Projects Following Accidental Shooting, Remains 'Absolutely Devastated'

Alec Baldwin remains distraught following the accidental shooting that happened on the set of "Rust," which left one dead and injured another.

According to a source who spoke to People Magazine, the actor has since begun canceling other film projects and wants to use the free time to "take some time to himself and re-center himself." The insider explained:

This was pretty devastating. This is how he handles difficult times. Whenever something bad happens, in the short term, he removes himself from [the] public eye.

The source noted that Baldwin remained "hysterical and absolutely inconsolable for hours" following the freak accident. However, despite knowing it was an accident, he has been very hard on himself and feels "absolutely devastated."

The source revealed to the publication that the actor might be away from the public eye for a while as he needs to take some time to process the situation and be with his family.

As The Blast previously reported, the incident happened on October 21 on the set of "Rust" when Baldwin fired a prop gun that struck two people on set, a woman and a man.

It was soon discovered that the woman, a cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, passed away from injuries shortly after she was taken to the hospital. The other victim, director Joel Souza, was airlifted and suffered injuries but has since been released from the hospital.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the prop gun contained a "live round" that caused the heartbreaking damage. The propmasters union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 44, confirmed the news.

The guns were supposed to contain only blanks, but that wasn't the case. In a released 911 emergency call from the set, the blame was cast on a crew member.

The frantic caller, a woman, was heard yelling on the phone, "he's supposed to check the guns... He's responsible," but it's uncertain who she was referring to.

About 24 hours after the incident, a heartbroken Baldwin released a statement addressing the issue.

The "SNL" star said, "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. I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred."

The 63-year-old actor shared he was in touch with Hutchins' husband and family and offered his support to them. The accidental shooting has since sparked several reactions on the internet.

While several stars like Debra Messing have defended Baldwin calling a freak accident that no one had control over, US Representative (R-CO) Lauren Boebert made light of the situation, referencing a 2014 tweet of the actor.

The whole event is still unfolding as the investigation remains ongoing. Indeed, there are several questions to be answered.