‘Rust’ assistant director Dave Halls accused of safety issues on past production by prop maker

Past complaints against the assistant director whom court documents say gave a loaded firearm to Alec Baldwin on the set of “Rust” are emerging following Thursday’s fatal incident.

Dave Halls was previously the subject of safety complaints on the Hulu series “Into the Dark” in 2019, prop maker Maggie Goll told CNN in a statement.

Goll claims Halls repeatedly failed to announce that firearms were on the show’s set.

“The only reason the crew was made aware of a weapon’s presence was because the assistant prop master demanded Dave acknowledge and announce the situation each day,” Goll said.

Halls said in an search warrant affidavit that he didn’t know the prop gun he handed to Baldwin on the “Rust” set in New Mexico on Thursday was loaded, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper.

“Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after Baldwin fired the gun on set, while director Joel Souza was hospitalized and later released.

Halls has not publicly responded to Goll’s allegations.

“The Prop Master frequently admonished Dave for dismissing the talent without returning props, weapon included, or failing to make safety announcements,” Goll said of the “Into the Dark” set.

An unnamed crew member who worked on “Into the Dark,” meanwhile, told CNN that Halls’ safety meetings were often short, and that he would question why they were even having the meetings.

“He did not maintain a safe working environment,” Goll said, according to NBC News. “Sets were almost always allowed to become increasingly claustrophobic, no established fire lanes, exits blocked ... safety meetings were nonexistent.”

Baldwin, who is starring in “Rust,” said in a Twitter statement Friday that he is fully cooperating with officials in the investigation into the incident on the Western movie’s set.

“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” Baldwin wrote.

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