#Rust AD Dave Halls Pleads For Industry Change Following Apparent Gross Negligence

And Baldwin isn’t the only one speaking out about that deadly day on set. Assistant director David Halls, who reportedly yelled “cold gun” before handing Baldwin the firearm that would kill Hutchins, reached out to the New York Post to make his feelings known. In his first statement to the press, Halls focused on Hutchins’ death and also commented on how he believes the industry needs to change:

“Halyna Hutchins was not just one of the most talented people I’ve worked with, but also a friend … 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.”

One thing that is missing from Halls’ statement is his role in the events, which isn’t surprising considering that ongoing investigation. A lot of the news coming out about the on-set conditions of “Rust” has focused on Halls and whether or not he thoroughly checked the gun before handing it off to Baldwin. A search warrant affidavit filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office even stated that Halls “could only remember seeing three rounds. He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if she [armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed] spun the drum.” Meaning he gave Baldwin the gun after having seen that it was loaded with three rounds, clearly unsure if they were dummies, blanks, or real bullets. Yet he shirks responsibility, saying he wasn’t sure if Gutierrez-Reed had spun the drum or not. Ultimately, both were negligent in their duties on set. Now, however, the coverage of the case has shifted focus to Halls’ ironic plea for heightened safety protocols on sets. 

On that note, there have been reports that a “Rust” crew member warned producers that Halls had a history of not prioritizing safety and had put people in danger on previous projects. The same is true of Gutierrez-Reed. 

We’ll have to wait and see what the investigation yields in terms of what actually happened that day on the set of “Rust.” In the meantime, we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.