Alec Baldwin should speak to criminal defense attorney after fatal gun accident: Turley
Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley joins ‘America Reports’ to provide insight into the on-set incident in which Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that resulted in the death of the film’s director of photography.
The crew member who handed Alec Baldwin a prop gun on the set of "Rust" had been previously fired from a separate project after another incident with a prop firearm.
On Thursday, Baldwin discharged a firearm while rehearsing a scene for the western-genre film, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
According to a warrant from authorities, the 63-year-old actor was handed the firearm by assistant director Dave Halls. A warrant stated that Halls handed the prop gun to Baldwin and declared it "cold," an industry term meaning that the weapon was not loaded with ammunition, including blanks.
The gun Baldwin used was one of three that a firearms specialist, or armorer, had set on a cart outside the building where a scene was being rehearsed, according to court records. Per The Associated Press, citing the application for the search warrant, Halls was unaware live rounds were inside the firearm.
Fox News can now confirm that Halls was fired from a separate project in 2019 after a crew member on "Freedom's Path" incurred an injury from a prop gun.
ALEC BALDWIN WAS GIVEN PROP GUN BY CREW MEMBER WHO HAD A PREVIOUS SAFETY COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM
Alec Baldwin accidentally discharged a firearm on the set of the movie ‘Rust’ resulting in the death of a crew member. He was handed the gun by Dave Halls, who said the gun was unloaded. (Reuters)
"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," a producer from the film said in a statement.
ALEC BALDWIN WAS TOLD FIREARM WAS UNLOADED, SEARCH WARRANT SAYS: REPORT
"Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged," the producer added. "Production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time."
Fox News has reached out to Halls for comment.
Assitant director Dave Halls was fired from a separate project in 2019 after an incident resulted in a crew member incurring an injury from a gun. (IMDb/Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican)
The filmmaker has served as assistant director on many titles, including "Reno 911!," "Bones," "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Hannah Montana: The Movie." He also worked as a second assistant director on Marilyn Manson's "Born Villain" music video.
ALEC BALDWIN'S 'RUST' SHOOTING ACCIDENT: A LOOKBACK AT HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST ON-SET TRAGEDIES
The incident resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. (Photo by Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie)
The producer is the second person to air doubts about Halls' safety record. On Sunday, another crew member who worked with Halls said she raised concerns about him in 2019.
Crew member Maggie Goll, who worked with Halls on "Into the Dark," told The Associated Press that when they worked together, she filed an internal complaint with the executive producers over concerns about Halls' behavior on set.
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Goll said in an email Sunday that Halls disregarded safety protocols for weapons and pyrotechnics and tried to continue filming after a crew member had "slipped into a diabetic fugue state."
New Mexico authorities launched an investigation after the on-set shooting last week that saw Hutchins die and director Joel Souza incur an injury of his own.
In an email sent to "Rust" crew members over the weekend, the movie's production team confirmed that work on the film has been suspended at least until the investigation is complete. The team said it is working with law enforcement and conducting its own internal safety review. The production company is also offering grief counseling.
No charges have been filed. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers are expected to provide an update on the investigation Wednesday.
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Fox News' Sasha Savitsky and Jessica Napoli and The Associated Press contributed to this report
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