LOS ANGELES (AFP) - The assistant director who handed actor Alec Baldwin the loaded weapon that killed a cinematographer had been sacked from a previous production for gun safety violations, the company said on Monday (Oct 25).

The news came as it was reported that crew members had used prop weapons for target practice with live ammunition on the morning Halyna Hutchins died.

Hutchins was killed on the set of low-budget western Rust on Thursday after Baldwin fired a weapon that assistant director Dave Halls had told him was safe.

"Dave Halls was fired from the set of Freedom's Path in 2019 after a crew member incurred a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged," a producer for the as-yet-unreleased movie told AFP.

"Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged. Production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time."