Daniel Williams, the former drummer of the band The Devil Wears Prada, and Dave Shapiro, the owner of Sound Talent Group, were among those killed in a plane crash in San Diego, California, early Thursday morning.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the total number of fatalities is unknown at this point, but there were six people on board the private jet, the Associated Press reported. Sound Talent Group confirmed three employees died, including Shapiro, 42, but didn’t share the other victims’ names.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” Shapiro’s agency shared in a statement to Billboard. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
Following his time at the Agency Group and United Talent Agency, Shapiro went on to launch Sound Talent Group in 2018 with Tim Borror and Matt Andersen. His roster included Sum 41, Pierce the Veil, I Prevail and Set it Off, among others. Outside of his career, which also included running the Velocity Records music label, Shapiro was an avid pilot with more than a decade of flying experience. He also owned Velocity Aviation.
Williams’ family also told TMZ that the musician was among the victims. The Devil Wears Prada shared a tribute on the band’s official Instagram account, writing, “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,” along with a photo of the drummer, who reportedly played with the band from 2005 to 2016.
Just before 4 a.m., the plane crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, the largest neighborhood of Navy-owned housing in the country, during foggy weather, the AP reported. The crash ignited at least one home on fire and numerous vehicles parked on the street. Several people were also injured on the ground while trying to flee the crash scene, while others were treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said.
The FAA said the NTSB will lead the investigation into the crash.
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