AD At The Center Of The Rust Tragedy Speaks Out

The entertainment world is still reeling from the October 21 deadly shooting on the set of the Alec Baldwin-led western film "Rust." In an incident which Baldwin later referred to as a "one in a trillion" accident (via CBS News), a live round was fired from Baldwin's prop gun during the rehearsal of a scene at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. The bullet struck 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in the chest, as well as 48-year-old director Joel Souza — who was standing behind Hutchins — in the shoulder. Hutchins was later pronounced dead at a hospital, while Souza has since been released and is recovering from his wounds. Immediately after the shooting, Santa Fe County authorities initiated an investigation into the series of events that led to the tragic accident. 

Various cast and crew members, including Baldwin, have made public statements expressing their condolences in the time since the fatal shooting occurred. Assistant Director David Halls, who has been one of the two crew members at the center of the investigation along with the film's 24-year-old armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has now released a statement about the shooting in which he offered his condolences to Hutchins's family and expressed his opinion on how Hollywood should grapple with its role in the deadly incident.

In a statement provided to the New York Post, "Rust" assistant director David Halls called the late Halyna Hutchins "a friend," and said that he was "shocked and saddened by her death." He further stated that it is his "hope that this tragedy prompts the industry to reevaluate its values and practices to ensure no one is harmed through the creative process again." Halls also took the opportunity to thank those who have reached out to express their condolences during this time, saying that he is "overwhelmed by the love and support."

Halls is reportedly the crew member who handed Baldwin the firearm and yelled "cold gun" to signify that the weapon on set did not contain any live ammunition. He has since told officers that he remembered seeing three dummy rounds in the weapon before he handed it to Baldwin, but could not recall if Gutierrez-Reed spun the drum of the weapon so he could review all chambers of it (via The New York Times).