Music Agent Dave Shapiro and Drummer Daniel Williams Among Victims in San Diego Plane Crash

Music agent Dave Shapiro and drummer Daniel Williams died in a San Diego plane crash that killed six and injured eight.

Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams were among six killed in a San Diego plane crash that injured eight on the ground.

 

SAN DIEGO — Music talent agent Dave Shapiro and drummer Daniel Williams were identified among the six people killed when a small private plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego early Thursday morning.

 

The twin-engine Cessna 550, en route from Wichita, Kansas, to San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, came down in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood at approximately 3:47 a.m. amid dense fog. The crash caused a fiery explosion that destroyed a home, damaged up to 15 others, and injured eight residents. Authorities believe all six occupants of the aircraft died in the crash.

 

Shapiro, 42, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, was known in the music industry for representing bands like Sum 41 and Hanson. A seasoned pilot and aviation enthusiast, it remains unclear whether he was piloting the aircraft or was a passenger.

 

Williams, 39, the former drummer of the metal band The Devil Wears Prada, had shared a photo from the plane just hours before the crash. His former bandmates posted a tribute to him on social media: "No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."

 

The plane appeared to have clipped a power line before impact, according to early findings by the National Transportation Safety Board. Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy described the scene as a “very large” debris field with plane parts and jet fuel scattered widely.

 

The crash ignited several fires, with some vehicles melting from the heat. Local resident Ben McCarty, whose house was struck directly, described waking up to intense heat and fire. He and his family escaped through the backyard with help from neighbors after flames blocked the front exit.

 

“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Eddy said. “The fog was so thick, you could barely see in front of you.”

 

Officials evacuated at least 100 residents as jet fuel streamed down Salmon Street and plumes of smoke lingered for hours. Authorities said they hoped some evacuees could return home by Thursday evening, but cleanup and investigation efforts remain ongoing.

 

The flight originated in Teterboro, New Jersey, with a fueling stop in Wichita. Federal investigators are examining the weather, possible mechanical failure, and flight data to determine the cause of the crash.