The assistant director who gave the OK for Alec Baldwin to shoot a gun on the set of the movie Rust was previously involved in a similar incident, according to reports.
David Halls was working as an AD on the set of a movie called Freedom’s Path in 2019 when a prop gun also unexpectedly fired.
“I can confirm that Dave Halls was fired from the set of Freedom’s Path in 2019 after a crew member incurred a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged. Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged. Production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time,” a producer on the film said.
A replacement was quickly found and the injured crew member recovered in less than a week. The movie, starring RJ Cyler and Gerran Howell, has yet to set a release date.
It’s not known if the producers of Rust were aware of Halls’s history. According to the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office, Halls handed Baldwin a prop gun from a cart and said it was a “cold gun,” meaning there was no live ammunition inside.
According to the affidavit, Halls didn’t know the gun had live rounds. The shooting killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
There was trouble on the set even before the shooting, however. Several crew members actually resigned from the movie, saying that they weren’t getting paid or offered lodging. They also expressed concerns about gun safety on the set, as guns went off two times before the fatal incident.
The movie’s production crew admitted that the crew resigned but said they were paid.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company. Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down. We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time,” producers said.
Currently, the filming of Rust has been put on hold for the investigation.
