NBC News Reporter Defends Alec Baldwin Movie Set Safety Protocols: ‘Just About Everybody Was Wearing Masks’

Today Show reporter Miguel Almaguer visited the set of the movie Rust, where a tragic accidental shooting involving a gun used by Alec Baldwin in a scene killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, and reported that safety protocols had been followed on the set — but he was talking about masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19, not gun safety measures.

Host Hoda Kotb asked Almaguer about a behind-the-scenes video that had been taken on the set that he had been able to view, noting that it had not been made public.

“What else stood out?” she asked.

“We think it is important to note that some safety protocols were being followed,” replied Almaguer. “Just about everybody we saw on camera and off camera was wearing masks during the filming, before and after. But it was difficult for us to tell about the handling of the weapons and the safety checks that were done because not everything was obviously recorded on video.”

The Rust production company had hired an attorney, noted Almaguer, who would be conducting their own internal investigation in addition to the criminal investigations currently taking place.

Assistant director Dave Halls is the focus of scrutiny as investigations into the shooting proceed. Affidavits filed after the incident identified Halls as the person who handled the gun immediately beforehand, and said that he had yelled “cold gun” as he handed the gun to Baldwin, which should have meant that the gun was unloaded. Halls has been the subject of safety complaints on film sets in the past, and was even fired from a movie in 2019 after a cast member was injured in another accidental shooting.

Watch the video above, via NBC.