Los Angeles: Daniel Williams, former drummer for American metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, and prominent talent agent Dave Shapiro have been confirmed among the victims of a fatal plane crash in San Diego on Thursday, May 22.
The small jet, a Cessna 550, came down in the early hours, igniting fires that damaged several homes in the Tierrasanta area and left no survivors.
Williams, who had recently accepted a role as a software engineer at Apple, shared images from inside the cockpit on his Instagram Stories just before the crash. One photo read, “Hey. Hey...you...look at me...I’m the (co)pilot now,” while another said, “Here we goooooo.” The third post tagged Shapiro, referencing their return flight together. Though Williams sat in the co-pilot’s seat, his father confirmed he was not licensed and was only joking around, reported TMZ.
A founding member of The Devil Wears Prada, Williams played with the band from its inception in 2005 until his departure in 2016. The group, whose name predates the 2006 film of the same name, paid tribute to their former bandmate with a heartfelt post: “.. no words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
The jet, registered to Daviator LLC — an aviation company solely managed by Shapiro — had departed from New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport and was en route to California when it went down around 4am local time.
Shapiro, 42, was an experienced pilot and the owner of Velocity Aviation, in addition to co-founding Sound Talent Group, which represents a host of major acts across the rock and metal scenes, including Sum 41, Killswitch Engage, Motionless In White and Parkway Drive.
Tributes have poured in from across the industry. Vinny Mauro, drummer for Motionless in White, urged fans to hold their loved ones close, while The Word Alive’s Tyler Smith expressed anguish over losing “not one but multiple longtime friends at once.”
While the exact number of passengers on board has yet to be confirmed, authorities stated there were no survivors. Federal investigators continue to examine the cause of the crash. Officials are still in the process of notifying next of kin, according to Loudwire.
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Aerial drone footage from @eyeintheskysd shows the aftermath of a Cessna crash in San Diego, where the plane struck 15 homes in off-base military housing. pic.twitter.com/r3H1hRcjA7
Shapiro’s agency, Sound Talent Group, released a statement expressing their devastation: “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.”
Both Williams and Shapiro were influential figures in their respective corners of the music world. Williams, through his tenure with The Devil Wears Prada, helped shape the mid-2000s metalcore wave, while Shapiro’s work as a talent agent brought rock and metal acts to global stages. Their sudden deaths have shaken the alternative music community, underscoring the enduring impact they had on the artists and colleagues around them.