The assistant director who handed actor Alec Baldwin the loaded gun that killed a filmmaker on the set of the film “Rust” spoke on Monday for the first time since the drama.
David Halls’ role in the Oct. 21 crash in New Mexico has been the subject of much speculation since he told investigators he should have checked the weapon but failed to do so.
“Shocked and sad”
In a statement to the New York Post, David Halls says he is “shocked and sad” after the death of the director of photography for the western, Halyna Hutchins, but he does not comment on the drama or its role. “Halyna Hutchins was not only one of the most talented people I have worked with, she was also a friend,” he writes. “I hope that this tragedy will encourage the (film) industry to review its values and practices” to prevent such a tragedy from happening again, adds David Halls.
Along with the gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, David Halls was in charge of the weapons on the set of “Rust” and had to make sure that they were harmless before putting them on the set.
He “should have checked” but he “didn’t”
According to the first statements from the police, the assistant director told them that he “should have checked” that all the cartridges in the revolver used by Alec Baldwin to rehearse a scene were fictitious but that he “did not. not done”.
Live ammunition accidentally fired by Baldwin fatally injured Halyna Hutchins and ended up in the shoulder of director Joel Souza.
The day before the shooting, a member of the team had resigned, citing in particular concerns about safety on the set, according to the NBC channel.
“There have already been two accidental weapon discharges, and a planned special effects explosion that went off near the crew between takes … To be clear, there is no reunion. security these days, “Lane Luper said in an email announcing his resignation, quoted by the media outlet.
100,000 signatures for a petition
An online petition calling for a definitive ban on live firearms on filming had collected nearly 100,000 signatures on Monday.
Its promoters argue that it is easy to add visual and sound effects to dummy weapons during post-production of films.
Last weekend, Alec Baldwin himself spoke about the accident for the first time, lamenting a tragedy that had a “one in a trillion” chance to occur. The American actor said he could not comment on the facts while the investigation is ongoing.
No arrests were made, but the Santa Fe, New Mexico, prosecutor in charge of the investigation did not rule out possible criminal prosecution if responsibility is established.
–
