One of Rust‘s assistant directors admitted to investigators he failed to account for all of the rounds ahead of the accidental on-set shooting, according to a new affidavit.
The first assistant director, Dave Halls, told investigators that he did not check all the rounds in the gun Alec Baldwin was using before it was handed to him and declared a cold gun, a Wednesday affidavit filed with the Santa Fe Magistrate Court said.
“David advised when [set armorer] Hannah [Gutierrez] showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds,” officials said. “He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if she spun the drum.”
ROUGHLY 500 ROUNDS, SOME POSSIBLY LIVE, RECOVERED FROM SET OF ALEC BALDWIN FILM: SHERIFF
Investigators said Wednesday they found a mixture of “blanks, dummy rounds, and what we are suspecting were live rounds,” along with roughly 100 additional pieces of evidence, such as pieces of clothing.
Though blank rounds are not generally considered a threat unless fired at close range, dummy rounds can be due to their deceptive nature. Dummy rounds are customarily used for shots where the camera is pointed down the barrel of a gun. The bullet appears almost identical to an actual bullet except for small indentations or holes on the bottom, making them inert.
While it is too early in the investigation to comment on charges, the sheriff’s office said that if authorities determine a crime was committed, arrests will be made and charges filed.
During rehearsal on the set of Rust last Thursday, Baldwin, whom Halls handed a weapon he said was a “cold gun,” accidentally opened fire, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounding director Joel Souza, 48.
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Baldwin was reportedly distraught and shocked after fatally shooting Hutchins, repeatedly asking why he was given a “hot gun,” and Halls told authorities Baldwin was careful with weapons on set prior to the fatal shooting.
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return requests for comment.
