Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The late cinematographer was killed in an on-set accident involving the Western's star Alec Baldwin in 2021 Jessica is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly Director Joel Souza’s Western starring Alec Baldwin ends with a tribute to Halyna Hutchins He was hit by the same bullet that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins The film-maker talks about his hopes for his western his complicated feelings towards star Alec Baldwin – and why the industry hasn’t learned “I didn’t grow up around them and I don’t like the culture,” says the grey-haired 51-year-old film-maker sitting at a desk at his home in Pleasanton In October 2021 he was in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on the set of his sixth feature, the western Rust, when a gun being held by the film’s star, Alec Baldwin was discharged accidentally during rehearsals The weapon should have been loaded with blanks but a live round had found its way into the chamber The movie’s Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally wounded Souza was hit in the shoulder by the same bullet that killed her I was too busy hitting myself in the face with a frying pan that nightDid he think he might die “I don’t remember what was going through my head One of the stranger aspects is that it felt like I was lying there for five minutes it was half an hour.” Hutchins was taken away by helicopter “I knew I could breathe but I didn’t know what to expect until I got to the hospital.” multiple criminal cases and an official report that described the film’s producers as indifferent to gun safety A settlement was paid by Baldwin to Hutchins’ family Her widower Matthew Hutchins confirmed that all parties “believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident” ‘I was a mess’ … director Joel Souza Photograph: Czarek Sokołowski/APAt the trial last summer a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin was dismissed when it emerged that the prosecution had mishandled evidence But the charge stuck in the case of the film’s prop armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed who is serving an 18-month prison sentence accepted a plea bargain and was convicted of negligent use of a firearm something unexpected had happened: 18 months after Hutchins’ death “The family wanted it completed,” explains Souza “I’d been repelled by the thought of going back And I couldn’t live with the idea of someone else doing it.” there were disagreements with Baldwin over the nature of his character One of Souza’s stipulations for returning was that everyone on set had to fall in line with his vision “It’s not that I’m standing there with my foot on anybody’s neck,” he says “But there were fights I needed not to have That was the only way I could get through this.” And so he found himself back on the set of Rust directing the actor who had shot him in the shoulder “I was a mess going in and a mess coming out ‘We’re going to get you back to 70% range of motion.’ I looked shocked Don’t kid yourself you had 100% to start with.’” For the first and only time in our long conversation gorgeously photographed by Hutchins and Bianca Cline the latter shooting the 50% or so of scenes that hadn’t been completed as well as the ones that needed to be reshot as some of the original actors were no longer available Souza had insisted from the start on a female cinematographer “The agencies throw male candidates at you but I know there are a lot of women coming out of the American Film Institute ‘Women can’t shoot westerns.’ And I thought I’m going to stick that up your ass and only look at women.’” word got around that Rust had been some tawdry enterprise all along it’s this straight-to-video geezer-teaser piece-of-crap.’ And it wasn’t Did people think someone as talented as Halyna would waste her time on that?” With its themes of guilt and atonement Rust is more like a kid brother to Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven Baldwin gives a troubled performance as grizzled outlaw Harland Rust – and actually it is possible to watch the movie without seeing tragedy in every frame Top billing … Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust Photograph: Felipe OrozcoNot that there aren’t moments to make one wince Souza knew from the outset that he would not include the scene that Baldwin was rehearsing when the fatal shot was fired but there is only so much that could be expunged without destroying the film’s essence Although it is no surprise that a western should contain guns and shootouts on an accidental shooting: this is how the orphaned teenager Lucas there is much brooding over a rifle that has been handed down through the generations “It’s ruined the life of almost anyone it’s ever come across,” the kid says “The movie is about what it’s about: the consequences of violence “I think I was busy hitting myself in the face with a frying pan that night,” he says he uses some of the same language when I ask about Gutierrez-Reed “I think we might have had a couple of conversations first time around There can be no joy taken in someone going to jail.” he still goes over that October day in his head “You think about the chain of events that started that morning Bad decision after bad decision was made.” As the film’s writer-director is there anything he wishes he could do over “Talk about the butterfly effect,” he says Investigators seal off the prop cart after the on-set accident Photograph: Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/AFP/Getty ImagesBut he did with the addition of some significant nods to Hutchins She is second-billed after him in the end credits: unheard of for a cinematographer “Let some son of a bitch come say a word about that,” Souza says “and I’ll fight him in the street!” So far and features her name in the credits in Ukrainian as well as in English “I wanted to include that for her mother,” says Souza The dedication is accompanied by a line that became a mantra for Hutchins after setting up every shot: “How can we make it better?” ‘How can we improve this shot?’ But I found it to be even more profound than that If you apply ‘How can we make it better?’ to every aspect of life then maybe this place can finally live up to its potential and its purpose.” In the context of Rust the question takes on a promise of healing: an attempt to draw something positive from the horror of what happened there are signs that the accident has done little to change the industry “You’ll talk to people who have been on other sets and they say it’s on their minds,” says Souza “But there’s also this feeling that it could never happen to them ‘Sometimes a hurricane lands where it lands.’” Last year he met a veteran cinematographer who told him about a film set in Los Angeles where live ammo was recently discovered “It had made its way from the truck and through the initial check and they only caught it at the absolute last second They all feel like you guys were just unlucky.’” A suspect opened fire in a Dallas high school Tuesday injuring four students in the second shooting incident at the school in just over a year The gun used in the shooting was brought into the school outside of “normal intake hours,” officials said but they did not specify what type of gun was used Wilmer-Hutchins is equipped with metal detectors and students are required to have clear backpacks Almost exactly a year before Tuesday’s shooting another Wilmer-Hutchins student was shot in the leg in a classroom and the district was criticized in the weeks following for allowing the gun to enter the school despite the security measures in place and it should not be familiar,” Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said during the news conference described the investigation as “fluid” and said more details would be released later Wilmer-Hutchins will be closed for the rest of the week and Elizalde said the school would provide mental health resources to students Nearby Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School also was locked down but there was no danger to the school and it will be open Wednesday Elizalde said she spoke with Gov. Greg Abbott in the hours after the shooting and Abbott released a statement Tuesday evening stating his office would provide the resources necessary to “arrest the criminals involved and bring them to justice.” Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase Choose an amount or learn more about membership Antong Lucky a community group that advocates against violence said a relative called the organization’s helpline asking for assistance because the family member was worried for Haynes The Latest: Affidavit: Suspect in Wilmer-Hutchins High School shooting was let in through side door Crime in The NewsRead the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Lucky said the call was transferred to him at about 6 p.m. after he had already seen the “troubling” situation on the news He had Haynes and family members meet him at the Urban Specialists office and talked to Haynes about turning himself in Lucky said Haynes wanted to turn himself in and told him: “I want to deal with this.” You need to deal with this and face it head on,’” Lucky said Lucky said they then took Haynes to the Lew Sterrett Justice Center This isn’t the first time that families of suspects have reached out to Urban Specialists though often they work with victims of violence than having Haynes — who he noted was 17 — on the run or considered armed and dangerous we believe in … convincing them to do the right thing I believe in having that young man to deal with whatever is alleged against him The motive for the shooting was not publicly known Tuesday According to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News Haynes shot several students after he was let into the school by another student Wilmer-Hutchins has metal detectors and a clear backpack policy said during an afternoon news conference that the gun didn’t enter the building “during regular intake time.” of our protocols or of the machinery that we have,” Smith said The Tuesday shooting also came just around a year after gunfire last erupted at the high school campus, wounding a student in the upper thigh told The Dallas Morning News Tuesday afternoon that she was “shocked” to hear her nephew was possibly involved And after hearing news late Tuesday that Haynes had turned himself in She grew up in El Paso and graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in political science and film and a minor in journalism she reported for the Chicago Tribune and KTSM More than three years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set the Western movie Rust is now in a limited number of U.S stars as the gun-toting outlaw Harland Rust in the fictional film set in the 1880s after the 13-year-old is sentenced to death by hanging for the accidental killing of a local rancher "Some things in this life you can't get back, I reckon," Baldwin's character says in one scene shown in the trailer. While rehearsing a scene for Rust in New Mexico in 2021 Baldwin pointed a prop gun that was supposed to have blank ammunition Instead a live bullet from the gun went off As part of a wrongful death settlement, Hutchins' husband, Matt Hutchins, became an executive producer on the film with Souza returning to finish as the director and I'll be very honest — I was a wreck through most of the second go-round," Souza told NPR last fall before the final film premiered at the Camerimage Film Festival in Poland Souza said he wanted to complete the work he started with Hutchins though he understands the lingering anger over Halyna Hutchins' death "Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death." Baldwin's representatives declined to comment to NPR about the film's release or criticisms made by Halyna Hutchins' family in Ukraine said it remains in litigation in New Mexico the family issued statements sent out by the publicity firm 42 West "I watched my daughter's stunning film twice," wrote Olga Solovey "I was so happy for the success of my daughter because it was filmed so beautifully I would want everybody to watch it because it was the dream of my daughter and she would want people to see the talent She had a very specific style of cinematography and she saw the world differently She could see and capture how the sun sets and how animals behaved who she called "Gala:" "The film is amazing even the weather in the frame transfers through the screen I would want Gala to be remembered not for the tragedy but for her talent and hard work." the human cost and the tragedy of it overshadows everything and is so much more important than any movie," he told NPR "I guess I just wonder if people will sort of see past that and engage with it as a film or if it will be a thing where people just can't ever separate the movie from what happened during its filming." Become an NPR sponsor a 911 dispatcher for the Minnesota State Patrol has heard it all and helped thousands of people across the state John Hutchins never knows who will be on the other end when he picks up the phone also known as “Hutch,” has heard about it all: routine car crashes “There’s always something new,” Hutchins said he cuts off another loop on the paper chain taped to the back of his chair counting down the days until his retirement on May 6 His career fielding emergency calls and guiding first responders for the State Patrol has spanned 40 years “I’m going to miss him,” said Marty O’Hehir who sits next to Hutchins and is his partner covering the east metro area “We’ve spent a lot of time together and it’s really nice to have a good partner.” Hutchins became a 911 dispatcher when he saw a flyer posted on a bulletin board According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety 911 dispatchers answered nearly 150,000 calls in 2024 at the Roseville dispatch center where Hutchins works Lieutenant Mike Lee said the Roseville office serves the Twin Cities metro and northwestern Minnesota counties Another office in Rochester answers calls from the rest of Minnesota That wasn’t the case when Hutchins started “I needed to know everything about Minnesota,” he said He also started when everything was logged using paper and pencil and he only needed to know five other telephone numbers There are six computers that make up his radio He has more than a hundred phone numbers that connect him to state patrol officers He still uses a pen and pencil as his “cheat sheet,” which he keeps tucked under his keyboard “I don’t really like change,” Hutchins said But he admitted that one of the best changes during his time on the job is being able to access the roughly 1,800 traffic cameras in the state. People don’t really know where they are when they call 911, he said. With the cameras, he’s able to pinpoint exactly where people are and get them the help they need. Dispatchers deal with difficult things and work odd, often long, hours. Hutchins said he’s been able to balance his work and home life despite his work shifts. He has worked mornings, afternoons, nights, 12-hour days and holidays. They have worked together through government shutdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic because someone needed to answer the phones. Last year, Hutchins worked roughly 400 hours of overtime. He’s worked so long that he’s seen the children of state troopers he started working with become troopers — and retire. In between answering calls on a recent workday, O’Hehir and Hutchins recounted the stories of calls over the years. “We’re crash city,” Hutchins said, describing the majority of calls he takes. He said the most crashes happen in winter and early summer, and they become more serious as the snow melts. One crash involved a semitruck carrying millions of bees, Hutchins said. He wasn’t sure how to guide emergency responders in that situation, but kept answering calls. Hutchins said road rage incidents have escalated over the years, and it’s worst during construction. One man called and threatened to shoot the other person, Hutchins recalled. “I really had to deescalate the situation,” he said. He will never forget the call he got in the 1980s, when a man called after finding his family had been murdered. His retirement plans are much lighter. Hutchins plans to work on his house and yard, and ride his motorcycle on the weekends. Olivia Hines is an intern for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Minneapolis Sentence calls for about 5 years in prison A fight may have led to the shooting just after 9 p.m Minnesota’s kindergartners have been below the recommended 95% threshold for years and more parents are getting exemptions for the MMR vaccine Where are children most vulnerable to infectious spread This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page As most people know, during a rehearsal in New Mexico on Oct. 21, 2021, Baldwin’s gun discharged a live bullet killing 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza watching the film might seem like a gruesome voyeuristic act even if the scene in question is not a part of the final cut supporting the film pays tribute to the final artistic pursuit of a departed wife 'Rust' movie review: Alec Baldwin's movie finds beauty amid tragedy “Halyna’s family knew just how important her art was to her and they did not want it to simply vanish,” Souza said via email to USA TODAY “Rust” represents the apex of Hutchins’ cinematic work and all efforts were made to convey that sentiment to those who worked on the movie after the fatal incident “Halyna’s mother spoke of how much she wanted her daughter’s film to be completed and to be seen,” he said “made himself available to talk with people (in the production) who wanted to hear his thoughts on all of this.” Seeing 'Rust' is a way of helping the family of Halyna Hutchins, a friend insistsIn 2023, Matthew Hutchins said in a statement he was "grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna's final work." USA TODAY reached out to his lawyers for comment Hutchins was made an executive producer on “Rust” when filming resumed in Montana in 2023 amid myriad civil and criminal lawsuits sparked by the shooting A source close to the film told NPR last fall that none of the original producers will share in profits as part of a wrongful-death settlement reached between Hutchins and Baldwin whose criminal charges were dismissed last year on a legal technicality Rachel Mason, Hutchins’ longtime friend and the director of the Hulu documentary “Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna,” echoes that those who screen “Rust” will be helping her friend you are supporting the family,” she tells USA TODAY For those who returned to finish “Rust” when filming resumed but they learned by being there they could do something for her,” Mason says The documentarian watched a lot of Hutchins’ Western footage in compiling her film and here on ‘Rust,’ she was operating at her pinnacle level,” she says but this film is exceptional in many ways.” Mason describes a range of “striking wide shots with dust creeping up across the landscape shots of horses lingering just so,” she says “Joel (Souza) made room for Halyna’s art.” Hollywood sets have seen accidents and deaths among cast and crew alike the final project does eventually get released actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed on the set of “The Twilight Zone” movie when a helicopter crashed during filming The production continued despite a barrage of lawsuits In 1993, actor Brandon Lee, son of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee, died on the set of “The Crow” when a prop gun loaded with dummy bullets struck Lee with enough force to cause fatal internal injuries The movie was completed using special effects and a stunt double While Baldwin could likely have shelved the film after Hutchins' death it does appear the decision to resume was driven largely by her family's desire to see the project completed for both emotional and financial reasons Baldwin has not himself commented on why he, as star and producer of “Rust,” opted to resume production after the shooting. Matt DelPiano, the actor’s representative, said in an email to USA TODAY that Baldwin, currently starring in the TLC reality series “The Baldwins,” would not be commenting about the release of “Rust.” The decision to return to the directorial helm of “Rust” was difficult for Souza, who is reminded daily of the tragedy. He sustained shoulder injuries when the bullet that killed Hutchins also struck him. “It ruined me,” he said in a Vanity Fair interview last summer But in returning to "Rust," he found some peace and a lot of purpose “Halyna was on my mind every single day,” Souza wrote to USA TODAY Just how seriously they took this and what it meant for them to be there I always thought it was important to make clear to people why I decided to come back which was to honor my friend and finish what we started together.” died Monday afternoon at Maine Health Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington and was a 1964 graduate of Winchester High School and they moved to Maine to make their home God bless you all in this time of mourning To the point where we sprung her from the nursing home and she stayed with shirley I love her dearly and she is greatly missed Sending my heartfelt condolences to you Susan and Ronald. my 1st summer babysitting job was for Shirley and Ronald back in the 70’s .First Susan and then Ronald. Your parents were so wonderful to me… treated me like one of there own… had some really great times and memories that will last a life time… I’ll miss seeing and talking to your mom. Susan and Ronald keep those memories close to your heart they will help you get thru the difficult days Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The Daily Bulldog is a completely free, fully online publication dedicated to covering the wide variety of happenings in Franklin County. We aim for timeliness, for our news to go far, and to be a reliable point of information for local residents. For immediate questions and concerns, please call (207) 778-8146 or email thedailybulldog@gmail.com  Daily Bulldog depends on businesses like yours to support our independently owned community paper and news reporting For information on how to advertise please visit our advertising page or contact us at (207) 778-8146 or thedailybulldog@gmail.com By Talia Richman and Zacharia WashingtonStaff Writers according to new details revealed in an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News and an educator was grazed “on the right side of her face inches away from her right eye,” a Dallas ISD police officer wrote in the affidavit had worked at Wilmer-Hutchins for only half a year She decided to return to the classroom shortly after giving birth to her first child Renix went into a room to clean her breast pump when gunfire erupted in the hallway The Education LabReceive our in-depth coverage of education issues and stories that affect North Texans A stray bullet pierced through the room and knocked the glasses off her face The math teacher has an active GoFundMe fundraiser to help with recovery costs there was a shooting at my school that deeply impacted everyone in attendance that day,” she wrote on the webpage “The impact that it had on me was that the bullet went through my glasses and across my face On April 15, police say Tracy Haynes Jr., 17 was let into the Wilmer-Hutchins campus through a side door Haynes allegedly spotted some teens in the hallways and “began firing at the students indiscriminately striking 4 male students,” according to the affidavit He “then approached one student who was not able to run,” the affidavit says He “walked towards the student and attempted to take a point-blank shot said two of the students had been discharged while the others would “remain hospitalized for observation following procedures to address their injuries.” “Both are expected to be okay,” Evans said He said Thursday that he did not have additional information on the injured students The incident shocked families at Wilmer-Hutchins, the site of another shooting a year prior. the spokeswoman for the educator union Texas AFT said she wished she was surprised to learn a teacher was injured in yet another school shooting But educators across the state go to work worried about gunfire breaking out on their campus as long as teenagers can get access to guns “We’re going to have issues like this on campus.” Haynes faces multiple aggravated assault mass shooting charges He remained in Dallas County jail Thursday Staff writer Chase Rogers contributed to this report. The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas. A graduate of Huston-Tillotson University and The University of Texas at Austin Zacharia lived in Austin for several years before coming back to Dallas She previously worked as a local government reporter for Community Impact The film's limited release comes three years after its lead actor accidentally shot and killed the cinematographer the Western film “Rust” began screening at Allen Theatres across New Mexico The film’s limited release comes three years after its lead actor While criminal charges against Baldwin were eventually dropped, the armorer on the set, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March 2024 Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Logan Royce Beitmen is an arts writer for the Albuquerque Journal. He covers music, visual arts, books and more. You can reach him at lbeitmen@abqjournal.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — As Rachel Mason turns the pages of Halyna Hutchins’ old notebook filled with camera setups and lighting notes she doesn’t just see a cinematographer at work; she sees the soul of a close friend “I can’t think of anyone that she didn’t make a big impression on,” Mason said “She was so filled with joy and excitement and enthusiasm for the smallest things.” Hutchins was 42 years old when she was killed on the set of ‘Rust’ in 2021 after a prop gun held by actor Alec Baldwin discharged during rehearsal The tragedy stunned the industry and sparked years of legal battles she directed “The Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna Hutchins,” a Hulu documentary chronicling the final days of her friend’s life it didn’t seem real until I started to see her splashed across headlines,” Mason said “She cannot be thought of as Alec Baldwin’s gunshot victim Mason said one significant takeaway from retracing Hutchins’ time on set was the issues in the communication She said having stronger communication protocols on sets could reduce the occurrence of tragedies like this one.   with Hutchins’ widower credited as an executive producer Some have questioned the decision to release the film but Mason says it honors Hutchins’ artistic legacy “I would trade this film and every film for her life I have so much admiration and respect for every single person that finished this film,” Mason said noting how hard it was for the crew to return to making the film.   Entertainment attorney and journalist Jonathan Handel notes that while “Rust” may not make a significant box office impact did we learn anything that sticks and anything that changes behavior And you have to hope at least some people are attentive to what has happened and redouble their efforts to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” he said “This industry has a very long and troubled history of believing in the fantasy of cinematic immunity.” Handel also said Hollywood’s current production decline may only add to the on-set safety issues.  “It’s a dangerous business and sometimes incidents like this will recur at some point All this against a backdrop of an industry that’s very economically troubled and is losing personnel as a result of that. Losing the experienced personnel,” he said As “Rust” makes its way to theaters and streaming it’s about finally giving Hutchins the recognition she deserved The late DP’s family sued the Western’s producer and star Alec Baldwin last year over her death The mother and sister of Halyna Hutchins – the late cinematographer who was fatally shot on-set during filming – have seen “Rust” and found it “stunning.” They encouraged audiences to go see film in Hutchins’ memory toasted her final movie’s theatrical release Solovey urged as many people to see it as possible to “remember her for as long as they can.” “I watched my daughter’s stunning film twice I was so happy for the success of my daughter because it was filmed so beautifully,” Solovey said “I would want everybody to watch it because it was the dream of my daughter and she would want people to see it and I’m just so immensely proud of her and I would want more people to remember her for as long as they can.” Hutchins’s sister Zemko added: “The film is amazing Everyone should see Gala’s work; this is high professionalism and high-level artistry I would want Gala to be remembered not for the tragedy but for her talent and hard work.” The release comes three and a half years after star Alec Baldwin – who plays an aging gunslinger in the western – was rehearsing a shot before a take and the gun went off Baldwin was found not responsible for manslaughter when a trial dismissed in July 2024 once the court determined that New Mexico police and prosecutors deliberately withheld evidence — live bullets relevant to the case — from the defense team TheWrap reviewer William Bibbiani explained that it was impossible to separate the tragedy that occurred on-set from the movie itself guilt and grief are amplified by the unfortunate fact of the film’s own existence the tragedy that took place mid-production,” he wrote “Let’s be clear: that cannot make it better and it leaves the film with an aura that’s inexorably grim “That’s what the plot is about too.” Sad news to share today: It is time to beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly for Will Hutchins, star of TV’s Sugarfoot and the cult-favorite Western The Shooting we prefer to celebrate lives rather than mourn deaths So we are offering this expanded version of the interview that ran in our October 2016 issue Cowboys & Indians: Sugarfoot was almost subversive back in the day because it was one of the very few TV westerns where the hero occasionally looked scared I really was scared — because it was my first job And they cast Dennis Hopper as Billy the Kid There was a guy that had just worked with James Dean C&I: Did the network brass ever ask the producers to make Brewster more of a badass we did an episode called “Shepherd With a Gun.” Obviously Will: We had a close-up of me punching this bad guy they used one of the toughest stuntmen in L.A. They said he got drunk Friday night in a bar and cleaned the bar out single-handedly we were going to shoot a close-up of me giving him an uppercut And the first time I do — it had to be Bear Hudkins that was one of the appealing things about Sugarfoot but we were never sure whether he’d get the best of it in a fight Don’t be a sissy.” I remembered something Groucho Marx once said so I stole a line from him when I wrote back: “Dear Jimmy I do not like you writing letters to me that way C&I: The TV westerns produced by Warner Bros and Bronco — had an advantage over other westerns at the time Producers could recycle footage from the studio’s feature films and really enhance a show’s production values Will: I just watched an episode the other night called “Stallion Trail.” Here are these guys on top of a little rise in the studio backlot and they’re looking off — and then it cuts to this vast panorama with horses all over the place I had to change my outfit so it would match whoever was in the original movie in order to look like I was riding across the landscape I’d be wearing Errol Flynn’s clothes to match him C&I: Next year will be the 60th anniversary of the debut Sugarfoot episode I feel like I’m admiring my own great-grandson a lawyer called me and said he and his partner wrote a script with Cheyenne and Sugarfoot in New York around the time of Teddy Roosevelt they didn’t even know who the heck he was talking about They didn’t know anything about those shows C&I: After Sugarfoot ended, you made The Shooting, a small-budget western for director Monte Hellman Jack Nicholson and Warren Oates as co-stars you were probably better known to the general public than the latter two Will: [Laughs] I think I may have been the best paid they show Warren Oates down by a river or something or a stream giving his horse water it says “Will Hutchins.” I know that was a little confusing The ground there wasn’t that well examined and don't feel embarrassed if you have to hold onto the pommel.” I just rode hellbent for leather and actually Jack Nicholson could never have caught me on his horse He made one movie right after called Ride in the Whirlwind He rode in that one — and he made sure he rode the horse that I rode in The Shooting C&I: And even though it didn’t raise too much of a ruckus when it was first released The Shooting is now widely viewed as a classic Will: It's funny because both The Shooting — which by the way holds up quite well — and Ride in the Whirlwind barely got released I think they went almost directly to television They did release it eventually in theaters but it wasn’t until Jack Nicholson became the star right around when the moon landing occurred.I found myself in France walking down a dark street with this gal because I was stationed in Paris when I was in the Army they were showing The Shooting  and Ride the Whirlwind and I’ll promise to leave after The Shooting’s over?” So they let me in for half-price Me and my date got in for the price of one C&I: What’s your fondest memory about making The Shooting Warren Oates got up on a big pile of garbage and trash and stuff We just had to listen to what they had to say Warren gets up on top of all this trash with his guitar They weren’t just fine.” I’ll never forget that The family of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who was killed in an on-set shooting in 2021 are urging audiences to see the “stunning” film in Hutchins’ memory Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, and her sister, Svetlana Zemko, are encouraging audiences to see the film and “remember her for as long as they can.“ Solovey said of the film, “I watched my daughter’s stunning film twice. I was so happy for the success of my daughter because it was filmed so beautifully.” “I would want everybody to watch it because it was the dream of my daughter and she would want people to see it I would want Gala to be remembered not for the tragedy but for her talent and hard work.” The film has finally been released three and a half years after the fatal on-set shooting involving the film’s star, Alec Baldwin Baldwin’s manslaughter charges were dismissed with prejudice in July 2024 Rust premiered at the Camerimage Film Festival in Poland last year with Solovey opting to skip the premiere at the time “Alec Baldwin continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologize to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death he seeks to unjustly profit from his killing of my daughter That is the reason why I refuse to attend the festival for the promotion of Rust especially now when there is still no justice for my daughter.” Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Dallas police responded Tuesday afternoon to a shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in the 5500 block of Langdon Road there was no active threat and that the school campus had been secured at least two of the victims were shot with injuries initially believed to be non-life-threatening Three victims were taken to Baylor Scott & White Health and one to Methodist Hospital Dallas in Oak Cliff According to law enforcement sources who spoke with CBS News Texas a student is wanted after allegedly firing a gun inside the school campus Aerial images showed multiple agencies surrounding the school Students were also seen leaving the campus and walking toward the school’s stadium Roughly 900 students were reported in attendance Tuesday Dallas ISD said Tuesday afternoon that all students and staff at Wilmer Hutchins High School were safe and the reunification process was to begin shortly at Eagle Stadium Parents and guardians were asked to provide state identification to pick up their child There has been no official word on the suspect’s identity or further details about the shooting The high school had a shooting almost a year ago to the day 2024 shooting happened inside a classroom and was targeted A few days after the shooting, students staged a campus walkout We’ll update as more information becomes available 2025 7:27PM"Rust" has finally been released in theaters more than three years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on set by actor Alec Baldwin."Rust" has finally been released in theaters more than three years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on set while the movie was in production Actor Alec Baldwin was using a gun as a movie prop when it discharged during filming on Oct while the movie was being filmed in New Mexico He said he assumed that it was loaded with dummy rounds killing Hutchins and injuring film director Joel Souza were charged with involuntary manslaughter following the incident Charges were twice dismissed against Baldwin -- in 2023 and again in 2024 the judge ruled the charges could not be brought again Baldwin sued New Mexico prosecutors and sheriff's office officials alleging "malicious" prosecution against him making this one of at least a dozen civil lawsuits filed concerning Hutchins' death Gutierrez was sentenced to the maximum of 18 months in prison a judge denied her request for a new trial in September 2024 Baldwin told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in a 2021 exclusive interview that he had "no idea" how a live bullet got onto the set and that he "didn't pull the trigger" on the firearm that killed Hutchins An FBI forensic report obtained by ABC News in August 2022 concluded that the gun used in the fatal shooting could not have been fired without pulling the trigger Baldwin's attorney pushed back on the report at the time saying in a statement that the gun was faulty and that "the FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior test because it was in such poor condition." The trailer to the film was released on March 26 earlier this year but the film has finally been released on May 2 more than 42 months after Hutchins was killed The accidental shooting spawned a yearlong criminal investigation and multiple lawsuits though the film ultimately resumed production in April 2023 after being paused following Hutchins death with Hutchins' husband Matthew Hutchins taking over as executive producer who also wrote the screenplay from a story by himself and Baldwin The film is now widely in theaters and available to rent Returning to finish the Western alongside Alec Baldwin after Hutchins' tragic loss Hopkins recalls there were “no more working firearms” on set Sophie Grace Clark is a Live News reporter based in London, with a focus on crime stories. She has also covered politics and entertainment extensively. Sophie joined Newsweek in 2024 from a freelance career and had previously worked at The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Star, OK Magazine, and MyLondon. She is a graduate of Middlebury College. You can get in touch with Sophie by emailing sg.clark@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Angry parents are asking questions about security after a Texas high school suffered its second shooting in a year on Tuesday when a student opened fire and injured four students A 17-year-old is in custody following the incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School where the four students between the ages of 15 and 18 had injuries ranging from serious to nonlife threatening The Dallas Independent School District has been contacted for comment via email a student was shot in the thigh by another student leading to a walkout at the school over safety protocols Now parents and pupils are asking how another student was able to bring a gun into the school Tracy Haynes was arrested and taken to Dallas County Jail and is facing a charge of aggravated assault mass shooting one parent said she is "irritated" with the school She said: "This is the second time that this school has [gotten] hit … it's not safe." She said from what she'd heard there was either no security or that security was not working at the time of the shooting He's not going to attend here because that's the second time." One student who spoke with NBC-DFW said that all of the students have to wear clear backpacks have their bags checked and go through metal detectors every day at school She said the safety protocols were enacted as usual that morning Parents became aware of a shooting on campus after the Dallas Independent School District (ISD) shared the following statement on their Facebook page at 1:25 p.m on April 15: "Police are responding to a shooting incident at Wilmer-Hutchins High School and we are asking everyone to refrain from coming to the campus Reunification plans will be shared shortly." Parents were later asked to collect their children at the school's Eagles Stadium Assistant Chief Christina Smith with Dallas ISD Police said at a press conference following the shooting: "This is still a very fresh and fluid investigation so I don't have any other information regarding what led up to the shooting." However, according to Fox News Chief Smith said the shooter did not bring the gun through security during regular intake or of the machinery that we have," she said Texas is ranked as 32nd in the country for its gun laws by Everytown for Gun Safety, due to its lack of gun control measures. Most recently the Texas state Senate passed a law preventing the implementation of red flag laws which allow for guns to be temporarily taken from people deemed a risk to themselves or others red flag laws may not have prevented the shooting as the suspect is under the legal age to buy a gun Texas state Senate's anti-Red Flag bill is now set to be debated in the state House Red Flag laws enable law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from people who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others They were implemented in Florida after the deadly Parkland school shooting but not in Texas following the Robb Elementary school massacre in Uvalde Although Red Flag laws do not currently exist in Texas the state Senate bill makes it harder to ever implement them into law The bill would also make it illegal to impose another state's Red Flag law in Texas Florida for mental health reasons could purchase one in Texas A Wilmer-Hutchins parent speaking with NewsNation: "I can't do this no more … it's not safe a Wilmer-Hutchins parent speaking with NBC-DFW: "This is going on too much at this school Now he's here and the same thing is going on I'm going to have to transfer him or something because this is going on too often here." Superintendent of the Dallas ISD Stephanie S And quite frankly this is becoming just way too familiar and it should not be familiar … You don't ever just get used to this It certainly weighs very heavy on my heart as a parent myself I'm trying to put myself in those shoes." Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett: "I am heartbroken to learn of yet another shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School—nearly one year after the last and families who are once again forced to live through this nightmare No child should fear for their life at school No teacher should have to barricade a classroom door Every student deserves to learn in a safe environment School will not resume at Wilmer-Hutchins for the rest of the week It is unclear whether parents can remove their children from the school this close to the end of the school year but there may be a shift away from the school in September is set to debate the state's anti-Red Flag bill later this year Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all Patrick Scott McDermott and Josh Hopkins talk completing the embattled Western and honoring the late cinematographer who died following an on-set accident Alec Baldwin stars as an aging gunslinger in a melancholy saga filled with inescapable reminders of the on-set tragedy It’s nearly impossible to critique a film like Joel Souza’s western “Rust” because No matter how “Rust” turned out the inescapable truth is that on October 21 ending the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins Regardless of who is to blame — which is a very important question but not one I’m qualified to answer — Hutchins died from her wounds That depends on your definition of “good,” I suppose It’s hard to celebrate any production where such an unthinkable And it’s nearly impossible to stop thinking about Hutchins while the film is playing in part because the cinematography — which was completed by Bianca Cline (“Marcel the Shell with Shoes on”) — is extraordinary Even though it’s not clear which scenes were photographed by Hutchins and which were by Cline it’s clear that Cline had to match Hutchins’ pre-existing footage so all of these breathtaking images stem directly or indirectly from the original and men who escape the consequences of the dead bodies they leave in their wake and the toll it takes on a person after they end a human life It’s not an astoundingly poignant film about those topics but it’s an indelible part of the production There are those who argue that we should be able separate art from the artist and by extension art from the context of its creation but that’s crap and I think we all know it The simple fact is that while we watch many films blissfully unaware of how they were made whether those backstories are beautiful or despicable We cannot pretend that “Rust” is just another movie and as such easily judge it by the simple act of watching it The dilemma recalls Alex Proyas’ “The Crow,” his 1994 film about a dead man coming back to life that was immortalized by tragedy — the on-set death of star Brandon Lee The loss of an undeniable talent taken too soon — under eerily similar circumstances — altered that film’s narrative just as firmly as the loss of Hutchins affected “Rust.” If we were able to watch “Rust” free of context granted; not a proper classic but involving and handsomely presented Like many westerns it’s a saga of machismo as larger-than-life men tear their way across the American frontier If they’re heroes they feel bad about it at the time If they’re antiheroes they feel bad about it afterwards “Rust” stars Patrick Scott McDermott (“Goosebumps”) as Lucas a teenager raising his younger brother after their parents died and accidentally starts a feud with another farmer When Lucas tries to shoot a wolf and accidentally kills the farmer so despite his tender age Lucas is condemned to die by hanging Into Lucas’s life wanders Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin an aging gunslinger with a storied history of robbery He breaks Lucas out of jail and escorts him to the Mexican border because he’s Lucas’s estranged grandfather They don’t get along because of course they don’t You can’t have two protagonists crossing the country for two-thirds of a movie if they love each other’s company Lucas and Rust have a bounty on their heads so they’re hunted by every bounty hunter in the country smaller characters who don’t last very long Preacher and Wood represent a yin and yang of sorts the vile opportunist and the downtrodden do-gooder both of them beholden to their place in what can only be called a legalized murder economy The western genre typically takes place at the edge of known civilization and people live by their wits and their mettle It’s a genre that’s prone to larger-than-life caricatures to the extent that even complicated figures in a film like “Rust” play into the film’s folkloric quality Hutchins’ and Cline’s cinematography goes a long way towards justifying writer/director Joel Souza’s heavy-handed storytelling but it’s hard to ignore the film’s tendency to overplay every hand and it leaves the tale feeling less resonant that it probably should be the resonance of “Rust” doesn’t emanate entirely from its story the tragedy that took place mid-production Let’s be clear: that cannot make it better and it leaves the film with an aura that’s inexorably grim Four people were injured during a shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in southern Dallas Tuesday afternoon Ages of the three shooting victims ranged from 15 to 18 one of whom may have been grazed by a bullet All three were rushed to a nearby hospital An unidentified fourth person was also transported but it wasn't clear whether that person was also shot A 17-year-old was arrested and booked into the Dallas County Jail Tuesday night, according to the Dallas Morning News according to Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde The school will be closed the rest of the week and will offer mental health resources "You don't ever just get used to this and I am very aware of that,” Elizalde said “It certainly weighs very heavy on my heart but I can't begin to imagine as a parent myself Wilmer-Hutchins elementary was also on lockdown but classes will resume Wednesday Assistant Police Chief Christina Smith said the gun did not come through during “regular intake time,” and that the incident was not a failure of the staff protocols or machinery used to detect firearms and both officials only took two questions from reporters said she was in a classroom when she heard a commotion in the hallway before she heard seven shots and witnessed one person with a gunshot wound “A lot of people bring their guns every day," she said For parents like 37-year-old Elizabeth Ray Tuesday's shooting was a frustrating reminder of that day She was leaving an interview in Lancaster Tuesday when she saw a string of missed messages on her phone from her 15-year-old daughter: "Mom She ran to her car and rushed to the school speeding all the way as she witnessed police vehicles with blaring sirens doing the same Ray added — she's pulling her daughter out of Wilmer-Hutchins Penelope Rivera is KERA’s breaking news reporter and Yfat Yossifor is KERA’s visual journalist. Got a tip? Email privera@kera.org This week’s shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in southern Dallas occurred after the suspected shooter was let in through a side door by another student Martinez confirmed at least four male students were shot and a fifth student suffered an injury from running and falling before the alleged shooter was in and out of the school in less than two minutes “I don't know that it was preventable,” Martinez said “Sometimes when there’s a will there’s a way But many questions were left unanswered as Martinez said he could not confirm whether the student had already been on campus before returning and what led up to the incident — which Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said what appears to be clear is that this was not random in terms of the intent,” Elizalde told reporters “The culpability of the other individual that created the vulnerability is still under investigation,” she said referring to the student who initially let the suspected shooter inside the school ambulances and firefighters were dispatched to Wilmer-Hutchins Tuesday at 1:06 p.m after a 911 call reported gun shots at the school less than five minutes after the shots were fired The victims' injuries ranged from non-life-threatening to serious very complex,” and was not a failure of the staff or protocols The school will have a staff member guarding each of its 13 entrances during campus hours for the remainder of the school year something Elizalde said is a vulnerability to the school after last year’s shooting It’s unclear if the school will continue this new security measure next school year The incident occurred just three days after the anniversary of a shooting at the school that left one person injured in which district officials said at the time was a failure of not following security protocol Martinez and Elizalde both said the school had added new cameras to the building monitored by a “security operations center.” told KERA News during a phone call Thursday she hasn't seen improved safety measures since the first shooting last year Jones said security does not thoroughly check bags when students first enter the school in the morning and the school doesn’t always enforce a rule requiring students to wear clear backpacks Other students will go through one of the other 13 entrances to avoid being checked and going through a metal detector "That's how they get the guns [on campus] and because other students open the door sometimes," said Jones who was in a nearby classroom when the shooting started the security guard don't watch how they're supposed to." Jones said she heard people arguing over a dice game in the hallway when the shots rang out "It's very easy because kids just open the doors and security are not strict on the kids opening the doors Other students also told KERA News on Tuesday staff members were not enforcing the clear backpack policy something Martinez did not confirm during Thursday's conference The 17-year-old suspected shooter is being held in Dallas County jail on an aggravated assault mass shooting charge and the investigation is ongoing Two of the victims have been discharged and two remained hospitalized for observation but are expected to make a full recovery Martinez said he understand the heavy feeling families are feeling with the school’s now second shooting and are working to ramp up police security and staff presence for the school’s 1,000-student body “We want them to be assured that we are keeping it safe, we're going back to the drawing board,” Martinez said "What else can we do through technology through our procedures and our processes of how do we enhance this?” Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Mrs Ilow June Hutchins created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application known to her family and oldest friends as Bo as the result of complications of leukemia This profound loss is mourned by her husband of sixty three years daughters Kelli Elizabeth Hutchins (Beth) and Stephanie Hutchins Autry Bo was born in Surry County on February 23 to the late Leroy Dowell and Lucy Sloop Dowell the children went to live at The Children’s Home in Winston-Salem She often said going to live at the Children’s Home was the best thing that could have happened to her as a child She had a thirst for knowledge that was nourished there; she was an avid reader when she could take time from her chores Working in the infirmary taught her the compassion and selflessness that were her most defining qualities Bo cherished her friends from the Children’s Home and met with them regularly her whole life was instrumental in expanding the Children’s Home library and museum She was humbled to be awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011.  she received an academic scholarship and planned to attend the Woman’s College (later UNC-G) While John attended Wake Forest University on his way to becoming a teacher before graduating from UNC-G with a Bachelor of Arts in English She later obtained her Master of Arts in Education from Appalachian State University.  Brenda taught seventh grade Social Studies and English in the Forsyth County schools for thirty years She was the kind of teacher former students hugged when they saw her in the grocery store witty and curious and tried to imbue her students with those qualities who remained close to her until her death.  Bo loved all kinds of music and she and John loved to dance They were great at it and it was fun to watch them enjoying each other Brenda enthusiastically participated in all the concerts book fairs and film festivals Winston-Salem had to offer She loved to travel and was happy to travel alone if she got the urge She was passionate about women’s issues and was an unwavering Democrat.  Bo developed a passion for sports while living at the Children’s Home she regaled hospital staff with the story of how she had scored all of her team’s points (a total of six) in a basketball game Louis Cardinals and highlighted interesting games in the newspaper every day But she was the most devoted fan of her grandsons always encouraging them from the sidelines of their soccer games track meets and cross country races.  Stephanie and George often wondered how a woman who had grown up essentially without a mother could have learned to be such a loving one and how a woman who had grown up in an orphanage could have known how to make such a love-filled home She grew circles of friends like a tree grows rings Her family and her many friends will honor her memory at a celebration of her life held at 2:00 PM on Monday 2024 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home a reception will take place in the Robert F Miller Center (same address at the funeral home) or for memorial donations to be made to the charity of your choice Silas Creek Chapel - Hayworth-Miller Funeral Homes & Crematory Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Ray was a member of Fairview Baptist Church He served in many capacities including Building and Grounds He retired as Trainmaster from CSX Railroad after 37 years of service and was a retired veteran of the United States Army National Guard having served with the 1/178th Field Artillery Ray enjoyed gardening and blessing others with the fruits of his labor but his most enjoyable moments were spent in the stands watching his three grandchildren play ball Left to cherish his memories are his wife of almost 60 years and Les Hutchins (Melody); his grandchildren Samantha Harrell Smith (CJ) and Clayton and Kate Hutchins; sisters-in-law and many loving nieces and nephews with whom he shared a close bond Visitation will be held from 10:30-11:45 am followed by a 12:00 pm funeral service at the church A graveside service will immediately follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens Services will be conducted by the Reverends Ty Childers Memorials may be made to Fairview Baptist Church Building Fund By Milla Surjadi and Julia JamesStaff Writers Dallas ISD officials said that the shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School that sent several students to the hospital might not have been preventable Dallas ISD police Chief Albert Martinez said at a news conference Thursday morning that all doors at this campus were “locked and secured,” meaning the door could not be opened from the outside but could be opened from the inside This was a departure from the description provided earlier of an “unsecured door.” Tracy Haynes Jr., 17, a student at Wilmer-Hutchins, turned himself in to police Tuesday night He faces an aggravated assault mass shooting charge Haynes was held Wednesday in lieu of a $600,000 bond It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney It was the second shooting that Wilmer-Hutchins students have faced in a year district officials denied protocol failures allowed the shooting to occur a contrast from their response to last year’s incident Officials last year said the district’s security protocols were not strictly followed when a teenage suspect shot a classmate Students said they did not feel safe at school and demanded the district do more to protect them Martinez said the district’s safety protocols were being followed by staff and officers and the metal detectors were operating effectively on Tuesday “We understand the frustrations of parents and students,” he said we’re all feeling that frustration and we are frustrated ourselves.” The suspected shooter did not enter through the front door or the metal detectors entered and exited the school in two minutes “I don’t know that it was preventable,” he said Officials believe the shooter was targeting a specific individual and they are investigating whether it was related to a gang dispute The shooter’s motive is still unclear and officials said they did not yet know where he obtained the weapon “This is an instance where someone had something they were intent on doing … what appears to be clear was that this was not random in terms of the intent,” Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said The student who opened the door and let the shooter in has been identified The student violated the district’s code of conduct and will face “administrative penalties.” The student is being “incorporated in our formal investigation and we will determine if there will be criminal charges,” Martinez said Elizalde said the school had vulnerabilities due to its many entrances saying the district would be placing a staff member at each of the 13 entrances until the end of the school year so students cannot open the doors from the inside The school also upgraded its surveillance cameras at each of the entrances last year Martinez said protocol requires maintenance staff and police to conduct sweeps of doors to ensure they’re locked “We recognize that we cannot be posted at those doors all the time,” he said Dallas ISD board president Joe Carreón said on Wednesday the district introduced increased security measures last year about “the actual entry and intake of students and ensuring that training on those procedures occurred not just in the beginning of the year District leaders said they would increase personnel during arrival and dismissal retrain staff on backpack searches and metal detectors and revamp schedules to make more people available to monitor students I’m here to tell you that I believe because we did those things that the gunman was not able to get in through the front doors,” Martinez said Thursday Dallas schools’ emergency operations plans are revised annually and Wilmer-Hutchins’ was up to date at the time of Tuesday’s shooting and what this superintendent is committed to doing is be fully transparent,” he said in an interview and the superintendent will bring forth recommendations on how we should avoid situations like this specific one moving forward.” Elizalde previously said classes were canceled at the high school for the rest of the week and mental health support would be available for those who need it Staff will return to the campus April 22 and classes will resume April 23 In the aftermath of an active shooting like Tuesday’s investigators typically focus on how the weapon entered the school how quickly law enforcement responded and how effectively school officials carried out emergency procedures director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University The number of entrances and exits on school campuses has long presented challenges for security Efforts to route students through security-screened entrances — using metal detectors or other measures — are sometimes undermined by the need to keep other doors accessible for emergency evacuations “This has been a common problem in schools,” Blair said in an interview The Texas Legislature has already taken steps to increase school security most notably requiring districts post an armed security officer at every campus following the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde in 2022 A recently published Senate Education Committee report found that a majority of Texas districts are unable to fully comply with the armed security requirement which many schools have said they have been unable to follow because of a lack of money and manpower Staff writer Chase Rogers contributed to this report The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism She is a Louisiana native and a graduate of the University of Mississippi where she studied journalism and public policy She previously covered education for Mississippi Today in Jackson A girl letting go of a balloon is pictured I am the first to roll my eyes and scoff at literature of the ‘don’t worry There is nothing more vexing than being told to calm down during moments of intense anxiety I typically steer clear of any media that encourages us to ‘cheer up.’ Victoria Hutchins’ “Make Believe: Poems for Hoping Again” represents a clear exception to this rule. It is the honesty and brutality with which Hutchins writes that transforms this poetry collection from one of toxic positivity to one of unwavering hope The book’s epigraph reads as its thesis statement: “For the child you are at heart who still believes in magic.” Childlike wonder radiates off of every page of this collection Hutchins transitions from epigraph to the book’s titular opening prose we imagine befriending the eight-year-old versions of ourselves “make a pinky promise to stay friends forever and try to actually keep it.” “Make Believe” is not your typical poetry collection because it is not made up exclusively of poetry while its prose is poetic. “go seek,” from the book’s opening section “sugarcoat” tells us to “Let eight be eight/ Let twelve be twelve.” It is an echo of Morgan Harper Nichols’ “Let July be July” and an ode to the younger sibling within us all who is always rushing to grow up Throughout the book’s five distinct sections Hutchins seamlessly blends narrative styles and ultimately produces a documentation of progress That is the greatest strength of this collection – not its staunch optimism but rather its ability to acknowledge how wavering reality truly is “I don’t know how to stop turning myself into the shade of woman that matches my room,” Hutchins declares mid-way through the story But Hutchins is not glued to a chronicle of childhood nostalgia the collection makes clear that the complexities of our identities do not get washed away at a certain age We conclude with “the last day of my life,” a brutal imagining of death after a fulfilling life as a representation of “coming home.” Readers should expect religious allusions throughout the collection, something that was admittedly off-putting for me on my first read Hutchins does not shy away from complexity here: “come out wherever you are” lays out the tensions between sexuality and adolescence in its nods to Leviticus “Make Believe: Poems for Hoping Again” is spiritual in place of religious hopeful in place of optimistic and authentic in place of insincere The suspect wanted in connection with a shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas was in custody Tuesday night was booked into Dallas County Jail at 9:32 p.m and is facing a charge of aggravated assault mass shooting The arrest came after four students were injured in a school shooting Tuesday afternoon about a year to the day when gunfire erupted on the same campus His bail was set at $600,000 and it was not immediately clear if he has an attorney told The Dallas Morning News she was “shocked” to hear her nephew was possibly involved After hearing news late Tuesday that Haynes had turned himself in to the school in the 5500 block of Langdon Road A police call log showed more than 20 units responded to the scene confirmed four students were taken to hospitals three of the students ranged in age from 15 to 18 who suffered a “musculoskeletal injury to the lower body,” was not immediately known said the suspected shooter had not been arrested at that time In an internal police message obtained by The Dallas Morning News Dallas police officials provided a description of a suspected person and directed officers across the city to look for him 27 imagesView GalleryOfficials declined to comment on how a gun got inside the school which has metal detectors and a clear backpack policy Smith said the gun did not enter the building “during regular intake time.” or of the machinery that we have,” Smith said Dallas schools Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said at the news conference that Gov Greg Abbott called to ask for a status update and offered resources in support Elizalde said troopers from the Department of Public Safety Classes were canceled at the high school for the rest of the week though Elizalde said there will be mental health support for those who need it “You don’t ever just get used to this,” she said Elizalde added that Wilmer-Hutchins Elementary School will have classes as normal on Wednesday The facility was placed under lockdown due to its proximity to the high school but there was no danger posed to its students and staff said he heard about eight gunshots and screaming about 1 p.m He then said students began running out of the school said she got a call from a friend that there was a shooting at the school She said she dropped everything and left work immediately to get to the school “I just want my child to be safe,” she said “I just hope and pray everyone is OK,” Jackson said said she was in biology class when she heard two quick shots followed shortly after by several more She said her class huddled behind her teacher’s desk as she began contacting her family members said she immediately left work to come get her niece left my car on 310 and ran a mile,” Mendoza said adding she was grateful for the large police response from several agencies said she was in history class when she heard gunshots She said the students in her class rushed to close the door and huddled in the corner as other students ran through the halls “The first thought in my mind was that this was gonna be my last day here,” Falcon said was part of a large group of students who waited at the stadium to be picked up by parents As Jones walked away from the stadium with her family Jones hopes that the incident won’t jeopardize or delay graduation plans “It’s not really a safe school to go to,” she said “I wouldn’t even recommend going to this school because we don’t have like good security.” Danielle Curtis’ daughter was scrolling on her phone Tuesday afternoon when she turned to her mother and said: “Oh no It transported Curtis back to a year ago. On April 12, 2024, her daughter was at Wilmer-Hutchins High when one student shot another in a classroom. The district would later blame both human error and systems failure for why a teenager was able to bring a gun into the high school. The Monday after the 2024 incident, which occurred in a classroom, students staged a walkout and said they did not feel safe at school Multiple students said at the time that the school’s metal detectors were not regularly used and the school did not consistently enforce its clear bag policies Dallas ISD leaders said at the time they would increase personnel during arrival and dismissal as well as revamp schedules to make more people available to monitor students Curtis said she didn’t feel the district took campus safety seriously enough after the incident She wasn’t surprised to learn it happened again “I pray for the families that are affected and I hope and pray no one is seriously injured,” she said Curtis pulled her daughter out of DISD after last year’s shooting The girl still has friends on campus and is terrified for their safety Roughly 900 students attend Wilmer-Hutchins High It has a shorter history in the district than many other DISD high schools the state closed Wilmer-Hutchins ISD due to financial problems and its students were absorbed into Dallas A renovated Wilmer-Hutchins High School reopened as part of DISD in 2011 Zacharia Washington and Julia James contributed to this report He grew up in Granbury and studied journalism at Texas State University in San Marcos he reported for the Austin American-Statesman and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times He can be reached at 361-239-6527 and Signal at crogers.95 the authorities responded to an active shooter call at Wilmer-Hutchins situated on Langdon Road near Interstate 20 in Southeast Dallas The situation began unfolding shortly after 1 p.m Dallas Independent School District officials confirmed in a statement that police were responding "to a shooting incident" at the school The school officials asked people to "refrain from coming to the campus" while police responded to the incident gunshots were reportedly heard inside the school building Dallas Fire-Rescue transported three individuals from the scene though it remains unclear how many were victims of the shooting Helicopter footage captured extensive emergency response efforts and paramedics stationed around the school's parking lot The footage also depicted large groups of students sprinting across a grassy area as they fled the building the students were gathered and evacuated to the bleachers near the school's football field and track Multiple law enforcement agencies responded April 15 to a shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas in which at least four people were hurt Dallas schools Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde confirmed at a 5 p.m April 15 news conference the number of injuries and other information about the incident DISD Assistant Chief of Police Christina Smith said during the news conference that investigators have identified a suspect the school district announced in a news release Tuesday night that the suspect was in custody April 15 to the school in the 5500 block of Langdon Road in southern Dallas County Active call logs for Dallas police show at least 60 units responded to the scene Multiple students told The Dallas Morning News they heard gunshots before hiding in their classrooms and contacting family Haynes was seen on surveillance footage entering the school through an unsecured door after an unidentified student opened it for him Haynes then walked through the hallways until he spotted several male students Haynes then displayed a firearm and opened fire “indiscriminately,” striking five students before approaching one student “who was not able to run.” Haynes then appeared to take a “point-blank” shot Texas Department of Public Safety troopers the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol inches away from her right eye,” a Dallas ISD police officer wrote in an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News on May 1 He said May 1 that he did not have additional information on the injured students Parents and relatives were told they could reunite with students at nearby Eagle Stadium at 5520 Langdon Road Dallas ISD asked in a post on X for family members to bring a photo ID district administrators said all parents had been successfully reunited with their children Elizalde said during the April 15 news conference that the school would be closed for the rest of the week as a result of the shooting DISD has a previously scheduled districtwide closure this Friday and next Monday On April 23, the first day students returned to campus, dozens of Wilmer-Hutchins High School students walked out of class in protest of the shooting Fewer than 900 students are enrolled at the southern Dallas school Almost exactly one year ago, a student brought a gun to the Wilmer-Hutchins campus and shot another in the leg The Monday after the incident, which occurred in a classroom, students staged a walk out and said they did not feel safe at school Multiple students said at the time that the school’s metal detectors are not regularly used and the school does not consistently enforce its clear bag policies Dallas schools police chief Albert Martinez later said the district’s policies were not strictly followed IN THE KNOW: A Dallas high school fortified its campus after a shooting. Then gunfire struck again There weren’t the secondary steps that should have happened And that’s our concern,” Martinez said at the time Dallas ISD leaders also said they would increase personnel during arrival and dismissal Some parents and community members are pointing to the shooting from last year expressing concern that another shooting happened on campus said her first thought was “not again,” when she found out from a friend on Tuesday He can be reached at 361-239-6527 and Signal at crogers.95.