This morning, a plane crashed in a San Diego neighborhood, tragically killing all six of its passengers. One of the lives taken was former the Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams, and three were talent agents for Sound Talent Group.
A statement from the Federal Aviation Administration says the aircraft clipped a power line in a suburb. One home was destroyed and 10 others were damaged. Eight people on the ground were injured.
Dave Shapiro, a music agent for bands like Sum 41 and Pierce The Veil, was reportedly piloting the flight. He was also a flight instructor and the owner of the Sound Talent Group and Velocity Records.
"We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends," a spokesman for Sound Talent Group said in a statement, per BBC. "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."
Per Billboard, the statement from the FAA reads:
Shapiro was a founding member of the National Independent Talent Organization and on Thursday, NITO officials released a statement sharing its members condolences. We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dave Shapiro and his two colleagues. Dave was a visionary in the music industry and a founding partner of Sound Talent Group. His passion, dedication, and unwavering support for artists shaped the careers of countless musicians and helped elevate the live music experience for fans around the world. As a founding member of NIT0, Dave was instrumental in the initial formation and funding of the organization and assisted countless of our peers successfully navigate the pandemic shutdown of live music. Our sincerest condolences go out to Dave’s family, friends, and everyone at STG. This is a monumental loss to our community.
Daniel Williams was a founding member of the Devil Wears Prada and left in 2016. The Ohio metalcore band made a post about his death on Instagram: "no words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."
Drug Church made a post about Shapiro, who was their agent and longtime friend, canceling the rest of their tour with Liquid Mike. "More importantly our hearts go out to the friends and families of everyone who lost their lives in this tragedy," the post-hardcore outfit wrote on Instagram.
Hanson paid tribute as well, writing: "Today we are all mourning the tragic loss of our longtime friend and booking agent Dave Shapiro. Dave was fearless in life, and tireless in his work, and the kind of friend you would want on your speed dial. Dave seemed to always be working on a new endeavor, or to be going on a new adventure, because he was always excited for a new challenge. We are grateful for the 15 years we knew him. Our hearts go out to Dave’s family and the team at Sound Talent Group."
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Today we are all mourning the tragic loss of our longtime friend and booking agent Dave Shapiro. Dave was fearless in life, and tireless in his work, and the kind of friend you would want on your speed dial. Dave seemed to always be working on a new endeavor, or to be going on a new adventure, because he was always excited for a new challenge. We are grateful for the 15 years we knew him. Our hearts go out to Dave’s family and the team at Sound Talent Group.
