'Rust' Assistant Director Supports Alec Baldwin's Claim: 'Alec Did Not Pull The Trigger'

“Rust” assistant director David Halls has corroborated Alec Baldwin’s story that he did not pull the trigger in the fatal shooting that left Halyna Hutchins dead. In an interview with “Good Morning America” on Thursday, Halls’ attorney, Lisa Torraco, said she was told by her client that the actor did not pull the trigger on the gun.

“Dave has told me since the very first day I met him that Alec did not pull that trigger,” said Torraco. “His finger was never in the trigger guard.”

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a press conference in October that Baldwin fired the gun. They said, however, that it was determined during the investigation that “two other people handled or inspected” the gun before the actor fired it, naming Halls and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

“During the initial investigation, it was determined that actor/producer Alec Baldwin was the person that fired the weapon,” said Mendoza. “We identified two other people who handled and or inspected the loaded firearm prior to Baldwin firing the weapon. These two individuals are armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director David Halls. All three individuals have been cooperative in the investigation and have provided statements,” he continued.

Despite the sheriff’s findings, both Baldwin and Halls have maintained that the shooting was an accident and that Baldwin never fired the gun. “Dave has told me since day one that it was an accident,” said Torraco. “It was a pure accident—freak, awful accident that unfortunately killed somebody.”

Torraco’s statement comes after a preview of Baldwin’s emotional interview with GMA’s George Stephanopoulos was released, showing the actor sharing his side of the story for the first time since the tragedy. Baldwin said in the preview that he did not pull the trigger, as it was not mentioned in the script that he should pull the trigger.

“Well, the trigger wasn’t pulled, I didn’t pull the trigger,” he said, to which Stephanopoulos responded, “So you never pulled the trigger?”

“No, no no. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never,” Baldwin said, adding that he had no idea how a real bullet even got on the set. “Someone put a live bullet in the gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property,” he claimed.