'Rust' Assistant Director David Halls Breaks His Silence After Reports Surface He & Alec Baldwin Are 'Focus' Of Investigation In Halyna Hutchins' Death
The assistant director of Alec Baldwin's Rust, David Halls, has spoken out following the tragic shooting incident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
Halls — who allegedly handed the actor the mistakenly loaded gun — gave a statement to the New York Post on Monday, November 1 as he preached that the industry needs to “reevaluate its values and practices.”
“Halyna Hutchins was not just one of the most talented people I’ve worked with, but also a friend,” Halls told the outlet. “I’m shocked and saddened by her death. It’s my hope that this tragedy prompts the industry to reevaluate its values and practices to ensure no one is harmed through the creative process again.”
As OK! previously reported, last week Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza confirmed during an appearance on TODAY that Halls along with lead armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed as well as Baldwin would all be "the focus of the investigation" into Hutchins' death.
"There’s three people that handled the firearm prior to the death of Miss Hutchins,” the sheriff said during the Thursday, October 28, interview. “So those people will be interviewed, are the focus of the investigation, and so nobody’s been cleared as of yet.”
- 'Rust' Assistant Director Who Handed Loaded Firearm To Alec Baldwin Was Fired From Previous Film For Crew Member Injury
- 'Rust' Assistant Director David Halls Backs Up Alec Baldwin's Claim That He Did Not Pull The Trigger During The Fatal On Set Shooting
- Alec Baldwin Shares 'Rust' Crew Members' Statement Slamming Claims Of 'Chaotic, Dangerous' & 'Exploitative' Workplace On Set
The horrifying accident is not the first time that the AD has been in trouble on a film set. According to reports, Halls was previously fired from another movie set after a crew member was injured by a discharged gun.
While Halls was working on the Arkansas set of Freedom’s Path in 2019, a potentially fatal accident nearly took place after a gun was fired without warning.
“Halls was removed from the set immediately after the prop gun discharged,” one of the film's producers told CNN. “Production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time.”
The filmmaker was quickly replaced but was “very remorseful for the events, and understood the reasons he was being terminated,” according to producers on the movie.
