Man who gave Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin the prop gun was sacked earlier over weapon safety: Report

The assistant director who delivered Alec Baldwin the loaded firearm that murdered a cameraman had been fired from a prior film for gun safety breaches, as per the company. On the morning Halyna Hutchins died, crew members were said to have utilised prop weapons for target practice with real ammo. On Thursday, Hutchins was killed on the low-budget Western "Rust" set after Baldwin discharged a weapon that assistant director Dave Halls had promised was safe. According to the producer of an unreleased film, Dave Halls was fired from the set of 'Freedom's Path' in 2019 after a crew member sustained a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged. The producer further added that Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun was discharged, and production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. 

Also Read | Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin's prop gun misfires, kills cinematographer on film set, injures director

According to US law enforcement officials, on a film set in New Mexico, US actor Alec Baldwin discharged a fake handgun, killing a cameraman and wounding the director. The incident occurred on the set of "Rust," a 19th-century western in the southwestern US state of Texas, where Baldwin is starring. The sheriff in Santa Fe reported in a statement that Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza "were shot when Alec Baldwin discharged a pretend pistol." 

Hutchins, 42, was carried to the hospital by helicopter but died as a result of her injuries, whilst Souza, 48, was taken to the hospital by ambulance and is being treated. No charges have been filed in connection with the investigation, and witness interviews are still ongoing.

Also Read | Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing scene, pointed prop gun at camera before fatal shot: Report

Meanwhile, according to US media, Alec Baldwin was practising a scenario in which he pointed a pretend pistol at the camera lens when he fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, citing an affidavit documenting his director's version of the event. According to the testimony given to US media on Sunday, director Joel Souza, standing behind Hutchins when the gun was shot, heard what "sounded like a whip and then a loud explosion."

• Hollywood
• Alec Baldwin
• prop gun
• weapon safety
• shot dead
• crime