The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin the gun loaded with live ammunition that he used to accidentally kill cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has spoken out for the first time.
David Halls, in a Monday statement addressing the October 21 shootings, called Hutchins his friend and asked the industry for a’revaluation’ of its values.
Halls stated, ‘I’m shocked by her death.’ “It is my hope that this tragedy will cause the industry to reevaluate the values and practices it uses to ensure no one is hurt again during the creative process.”
He said that Halyna Hutchins was more than just one of my most talented colleagues, but also a friend.
Despite his silence, the assistant Director failed to address reports that Hutchins was among the three who handled the loaded gun prior to the tragic accident that left Hutchins, 42, dead and wounded director Joel Souza, 43.
The other two were armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, and Baldwin, who received the gun from Halls.
David Halls, Rust assistant Director, released his first statement since October 21st shooting at the Santa Fe filming location that killed Hutchins. It also wounded director Joel Souza.
Despite breaking his silence to deny that he was involved in the handling of the loaded gun before the tragic accident which killed Hutchins, and injured director Joel Souza, the assistant director didn’t address the reports.
Halls had, reportedly, declared it a “cold” weapon. This means that it was loaded only using blanks and not having checked all of the rounds in its gun barrel. Above, Alec Baldwin speaks on the phone in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in Santa Fe
Search warrants show that Halls and all others on the set were unaware that the gun Baldwin was handed contained live ammunition.
Halls had, reportedly, declared it a “cold” weapon. This means it was loaded only using blanks without having checked all of the rounds in its barrel.
Souza told Santa Fe police that Halls was supposed to check that the gun was unloaded before handing it to Baldwin, but couldn’t recall if he had done it.
“He said he should have checked them all, but didn’t and couldn’t remember if she had. [Gutierrez-Reed]”Spun the drum,” court papers read.
Halls spoke out hours after the final, haunting words of Hutchins were revealed as she was dying on Rust Santa Fe’s film set.
“That was no good. That was no good at all,’ Hutchins, 42, said seconds after she was fatally shot by Baldwin.
Hutchins’ last words came after lead actor Baldwin discharged a prop Colt .45 revolver that was supposed to be loaded with blanks but contained live ammunition, and were reported Sunday by the Los Angeles Times after a slew of interviews with cast and crew.
DailyMail.com exclusively obtained photos from the late mother-of-one’s wedding day 16 years ago, which show the Ukraine-born vixen adorned in a long, white gown, accompanied by her parents Olga and Anatoly Androsovych, and her husband, Matt Hutchins.
DailyMail.com has obtained exclusive photos of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (pictured in the white wedding gown) on her wedding day 16 years ago, with husband Matt Hutchins (second from left) and parents Olga Androsovych (at far left) and Anatoly Androsovych
“That was no use.” The mother-of-two, 42 years old, said that it was no good at all seconds after Alec Baldwin shot her on the set of indie Western Rust. She then succumbed to her injuries.
Hutchins’ last words came after lead actor Baldwin discharged a prop Colt .45 revolver that was supposed to be loaded with blanks but contained live ammunition, and were reported Sunday by the Los Angeles Times after a slew of interviews with cast and crew.
‘What the f**k just happened?’ Baldwin reportedly asked cast and crew members after the shot went off, and Hutchins suddenly stumbled back into head electrician Serge Svetnoy’s arms. After being grazed, Joel Souza, director of the film, also jumped on the deck.
DailyMail exclusively reported that Halls was known for being lax with safety and ‘flippant’ towards firearms on previous movie sets.
Police are still investigating what happened in the moments before the tragic accident. DailyMail.com spoke to pyrotechnicians, prop masters and others who worked with Halls on different projects about their concerns.
One crew member, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being blacklisted, told DailyMail.com that he’d worked with Halls on two similarly low-budget sets in Los Angeles in spring 2019, one where a revolver and Glock were used, and another involving shotguns.
They would meet each morning to discuss weapons and safety issues. This was a industry standard. He said that Halls didn’t believe they were necessary.
“He was very flippant regarding my insistence on having safety meetings about the weapons, both on the sets’, said the crew member. He asked for the pseudonym Jay and has been working on films for 10+ years.
“He would rush through it, and then say, alright guys. Be safe. Let’s get to work.
He stated, “Even though guns were not loaded, it is important to treat them as if they were.” “It’s a safety meeting that you may not think is necessary, but it’s essential to ensure everyone is on the same page.
‘He would rush through it and say, alright guys, be safe, let’s get to work’
“Systemically, there is so much pressure on the first assistant directors, to meet a schedule, and to’make it the day’ meaning to get all of the work done that you have already scheduled for the day,” he said.
‘When safety is on the set, or having time to wait for anything because safety takes some time, I have seen 1st ADs get annoyed that they had to wait.
“But they eventually understand it must be done. However, when I worked alongside him, it was the first time an AD ever asked me, “Do we really need a safety meeting?”
No live bullets were used on either set and no guns were pointed at any other person. Camera angles gave the illusion that the guns were in target. The ‘armorer, or person responsible for weapons on set, would shine a flashlight through the barrel to show there was no blockage or potential projectile before anyone touched the trigger.
Jay stated that no projectile should be fired when you fire. However, it could still prove to be dangerous. Jay said, “That’s where there’s rules.” You shouldn’t aim it at anyone at all.
After the shooting, Halls deleted his LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. He spoke out about the tragedy on Monday.
Sources on the set of Rust said the incident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins could be tied to the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed
He said that in no case would an assistant director touch the gun.
Jay stated, “His job is check the guns visually, check them together with the actor, and with the set steward who is the property person, or the armorer.”
“The gun’s chain of custody should be between the armorer, property person, and the actor who is directly handling it.”
Jay stated, “First of all, there shouldn’t be any live ammunition on this set.”
But, he believes Hall is responsible for the tragedy as he reportedly shouted “cold gun” without having visually examined the weapon to ‘clear the gun.
Jay said that he believes he is in all ways responsible.
‘First of all he was not supposed to handle that prop. He declared it a “cold gun”. It takes only a few seconds for you to check the gun to ensure it is safe.
“He didn’t know it was a cold gun so why announce that?”
The crew was filming inside the church when the shooting occurred on Thursday. Production has been halted
He concluded, “If it weren’t for the actions that he took in those two seconds, I believe Halyna wouldn’t still be alive.”
Maggie Goll, a pyrotechnician, worked with Halls in 2019 on a Hulu series Into The Dark. She told DailyMail.com she complained to the Directors Guild of America after he tried pushing on filming despite a crew member suffering from diabetes.
Another crew member was a pyrotechnician, who was required to supervise a scene that involved a fireplace with 100 candles. Goll stated that he fell and she extinguished all flames and called an ambulance. Halls, however, wanted to continue shooting.
She said that he “neglected” to hold safety meetings during the same shoot.
‘Dave did not hold safety meetings or make announcements on a daily basis prior to the appearance on set of a firearm.
‘The only reason crew was made aware of a weapons presence was because the Assistant Pro Master demanded Dave acknowledge it and announce the situation every day.
A girl pays respects at the Halyna Vigil in Burbank (California) on October 23rd
“This Asst Prop Masters would announce on camera each day when a gun was required, the disposition of the weapon. It could be a rubber/plastic replica or a non-firing option. Anyone could inspect the weapon before bringing it to set.
‘The Prop Masters was also very vigilant in reclaiming any weapons distributed before the talent leaving set.
‘The Prop Master regularly reprimanded Dave because he dismissed the talent without returning props, weapons included or making safety announcements.
She claims that she filed numerous complaints with a safety number and tried to contact Directors Guild of America, but nothing was done.
‘That was the last I saw of Dave and that AP. That was until Dave’s name came up in connection to the accident on the set for ‘Rust.
“I’m gutted that I haven’t pushed harder for more accountability and safety.
“Many of us have emailed each other asking the same question: Is there anything we could have done to prevent the tragedy in New Mexico yesterday?”
She said, “It is a terrible feeling.”