By Diana Dasrath and Tim Stelloh -
NBC News
LOS ANGELES - The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a movie set last week had been fired from a movie in 2019 after a gun went off unexpectedly. on set, injuring a crew member, a producer of that film testified Monday.
The above incident occurred in New Mexico during the filming of
Freedom's Path
, according to the producer, who worked on the film.
Assistant director Dave Halls was immediately removed from the set and later fired, according to the same source.
"Dave was very sorry for the events and understood the reasons why he was being fired," the producer explained by email.
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The injured crew member, who was working on the sound, backed away after the shot and was told to seek medical attention after being evaluated by a doctor on set, according to the producer.
The extent of the team member's injuries was unclear.
The person rejoined production a few days later and a new assistant director was hired to finish the film.
Halls did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
New Mexico authorities have not charged anyone after Friday's shooting on the set of
Rust,
where the film's director, Joel Souza, was also wounded.
Maggie Goll, a special effects technician who worked on the set of a Hulu platform series with Halls in 2019, said he did not maintain a safe working environment on set.
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In a statement to our sister network NBC News, Goll said Halls did not hold security meetings or announce when a weapon appeared on set.
He also tried to continue filming after the series' main pyrotechnic,
Into the Dark
, suffered a medical emergency, according to Goll.
Halls did not respond to a request for comment on Goll's remarks.
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A spokesperson for Blumhouse Television, which produced
Into the Dark
with Hulu, noted that the company would not comment on personnel matters and that no security complaints were received.
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Last week's shooting has sparked calls for Hollywood to reassess why real guns are still being used during production, and the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office is investigating how a handgun with live ammunition landed in Baldwin's hands.
Halls yelled "cold pistol" before handing the gun to Baldwin, incorrectly stating that he had no live bullets, according to a search warrant.
Authorities have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday to release details of the investigation.
A Santa Fe County Sheriff's Deputy speaks briefly with a security guard at the entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. Jae C. Hong / AP
Production on
Rust
has been suspended pending the investigation, the film's production team said in a letter to team members Sunday night.
"As we go through this crisis, we have made the decision to suspend filming at least until the investigations are complete," the document said.
It also indicated that the film's production company would not comment further on the incident and security protocols on set.
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“As with any ongoing investigation, we are limited in our ability to say anything else publicly or privately, and we ask for your patience in this regard.
As the investigation continues, we are unable to respond to comments that have appeared in the media, on social media and elsewhere, ”the letter explains.