‘Rust’ assistant director did not check Baldwin’s prop gun for live rounds

A search warrant linked to the shooting incident of October 21 on the sets of Hollywood flick ‘Rust’, which included actor Alec Baldwin, said that the film’s assistant director Dave Halls did not check all the rounds loaded in the gun, which was a long Colt revolver.

According to US media reports, the search warrant affidavit –which was filled in by a police detective working on the case– was made public on Wednesday following the first detailed presser conducted by law enforcement authorities related to the case. 

The affidavit said, “David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds. He advised he should have checked all of them but did not, and could not recall if she spun the drum”, according to reports from CNN. 

Also Read: ‘Rust’ shooting: Police recover lead projectile from director’s shoulder

Detective Alexandria Hancock wrote about her conversations with assistant director Dave Halls and armorer Hannah Reed-Gutierrez in the document.

Reed-Gutierrez reportedly told investigators that the weapons used in the movies were stored in a specialised van, also known as a “prop truck”, which had access restrictions. 

In updates received on Wednesday, another affidavit revealed that before passing on the gun to Baldwin, Halls yelled “cold gun”, which means that the weapon was not loaded with a blank or a live round, according to reports from CNN.

Also Read: ‘Rust’ crew used live ammunition hours before shooting incident: Report

Sheriff of Santa Fe County Adan Mendoza said in a statement on Wednesday a suspicion of more live rounds being present on the set of the Hollywood movie ‘Rust’ was still a part of the ongoing investigation of the incident, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Sheriff Mendoza said in a statement on Wednesday, “I won’t comment further on how they got there. This investigation is active, so I won’t comment on how they got there, but we suspect that they are there”, according to reports from CNN.