The assistant director who handed actor Alec Baldwin a loaded prop gun before a fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" was fired from another movie following an accident involving a weapon.
In a statement to CNN, a producer for the "film Freedom’s Path" revealed that during production in 2019 a crew member suffered a minor and temporary injury after a gun was unexpectedly discharged.
After the prop gun incident, "Rust" assistant director Dave Halls has been removed from the set and the production resumed afterward.
“Our condolences go out to everyone affected by the recent tragic event in New Mexico,” the producer added.
Search warrants from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, prior to the Oct. 21 shooting that killed Rust's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and injured director Joel Souza, revealed Halls took one of three prop guns provided by production armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and then handed Baldwin the weapon, yelling “cold gun,” indicating there were no live rounds inside.
The warrant also disclosed Halls was unaware there were live rounds loaded in the gun.
In the warrants, director Souza provided a statement that says the incident occurred while Baldwin was practicing for a scene inside of a church in which his character cross-draws a gun.
According to the warrant, the director stated they had the actor sitting in a pew in a church building setting and he was practicing a cross draw. he added that the actor was looking over the shoulder at Hutchins when he heard what sounded like a whip and then a loud pop.
Camera operator Reid Russell stated in a statement in the warrants that during a set-up for a rehearsal, Baldwin was explaining to Souza and Hutchins how he would draw out the weapon.
Russell added that he was not sure why the firearm was discharged and just remembered the loud bang.
"Rust" wrapped production until the law-enforcement investigation is complete. Producers said in a letter sent to crew on Sunday that the wrap was a “pause rather than an end.”
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