Alec Baldwin case: Man who handled prop gun has history of shooting incidents

Dave Halls, who was the assistant director for ‘Rust’ and the individual who handed the prop gun to actor Alec Baldwin, has been linked to another gun incident on a movie set, according to US media reports citing the movie production.

A gun “unexpectedly discharged” on the sets of the Hollywood flick ‘Freedom’s Path’ in 2019 with Halls working on the film. The production of the film was reportedly halted after the incident, in which a sound crew member recoiled from the blast, according to reports from CNN citing the Rocket Soul Studios.

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The production house said that the crew member was given medical attention by an on-set professional and was advised to seek treatment. However, the unnamed crew member returned to the production a few days later.

The company ejected Halls from sets of ‘Freedom’s Path’ and was later fired from the production.

A statement from the production company said, “Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged. Production did not resume filming until Dave was off site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time”, according to reports from CNN.

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The statement added, “Upon wrapping production for the day, Dave Halls was officially terminated and given the specific reasons for his termination.” The company continued, “Dave was very remorseful for the events, and understood the reasons he was being terminated. A new assistant director, as well as a new armorer, were hired for the duration of principal photography. Production of the film finished successfully”, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, in an email to crew members, the movie’s production team confirmed that work on ‘Rust’ has been suspended at least until the investigation is complete. According to reports from Associated Press, the team said it is working with law enforcement and is conducting its own internal safety review. The production company is also offering grief counseling.