Alec Baldwin Shooting: 'Rust' AD admits gun handed to actor was not thoroughly checked

The first assistant director on Western film Rust, David Halls, has acknowledged to investigators that before handing a revolver to Alec Baldwin, he should have checked it for live rounds, according to a search warrant affidavit that was released on Wednesday. The affidavit which was signed by Detective Alexandria Hancock of the Santa Fe County Sheriff's office read, "He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t."

Rust AD admits he did not check weapon for live rounds

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fired the revolver while rehearsing a scene last Thursday at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the director, Joel Souza. Hutchins was airlifted to a hospital in Albuquerque, where she breathed her last. 

Investigators had earlier disclosed that David Halls declared the weapon was a 'cold gun,' before handing it to Baldwin, which means it did not contain live rounds. The affidavit filed new details from Halls’ interview with investigators, as well as other details from an interview with Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armourer on the film. 

According to the document, "David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds. He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if she spun the drum."

The film’s armourer informed investigators that live ammunition was not used on the film's set. However, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said at a news conference that several live rounds of the revolver- a 45 Long Colt, were possibly recovered from the scene, in addition to the one that killed Hutchins and lodged in Souza’s shoulder. Gutierrez Reed also said that the weapons were kept secure in a safe in the prop truck during lunch and that only a few people had access to the safe. She stated that after lunch, the film’s property master, Sarah Zachry got the firearms out of the truck and gave them to her.

"When Affiant asked about live ammo on set, Hannah responded no live-ammo is ever kept on set," the affidavit reads. According to her interview, earlier in the day, Gutierrez Reed had checked the 'dummy' rounds to ensure they were not 'hot' rounds. She informed deputies that the ammunition was kept on a cart during lunch, where it was not secured. 

According to Variety, David Halls, an industry veteran who has worked on films like Fargo and The Matrix Reloaded, was also asked about safety practices with weapons on set. Describing the safety protocols on the set, he told investigators, "I check the barrel for obstructions, most of the time there’s no live fire, she (Hannah) opens the hatch and spins the drum, and I say ‘cold gun on set,’” adding that he was not sure whether she spun the drum in this instance. "We also believe that we have the spent shell casing from the bullet that was fired from the gun,” the AD said.

The case investigators have obtained the warrant in order to conduct a search of the prop truck. On Wednesday, during a press conference, Mary Carmack-Altwies, the local district attorney that it is too soon to say whether charges will be filed. Carmack-Altwies said, "If the facts and the evidence and law support charges, then I will initiate prosecution at that time. I am a prosecutor that was elected in part because I do not make rash decisions and I do not rush to judgment."

Alec Baldwin was practicing drawing gun when weapon discharged

The crew was filming a scene inside a church building on the ranch. According to affidavits released earlier, Baldwin was practising cross-drawing the firearm while being seated in a church pew. He was demonstrating how he would point it towards the camera when it went off. Souza told investigators that he heard a loud pop and that Hutchins then grabbed her midsection and stumbled backwards before falling on the ground. Souza said that he was bleeding from the shoulder.

The affidavit that was filed on Wednesday states that in the aftermath where Halls retrieved the gun from the pew. The document stated, "After the gun was fired, David Halls picked up the firearm from a pew inside the church, and took it to the Armorer. Hannah then was told to ‘open’ the gun so he could see what was inside. David advised he could only remember seeing at least four ‘dummy’ casings with the hole on the side, and one without the hole. He advised this round did not have the ‘cap’ on it and was just the casing. David advised the incident was not a deliberate act." 

(Image: AP/Unsplash)