OAN Staff Abril Elfi
4:57 PM – Thursday, May 22, 2025
Two victims from Thursday’s plane crash in San Diego have been reportedly identified as music agency Sound Talent Group co-founder Dave Shapiro and the former drummer for metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, Daniel Williams.
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the two men were among six others killed when the plane clipped a power line in a San Diego suburb — sparking flames that scorched several homes, destroyed dozens of vehicles, and forced the evacuation of more than 100 others.
Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said during a news conference that the Cessna 550 made a “direct hit to multiple homes” and vehicles at around 4 a.m. local time — resulting in a “gigantic debris field” in the Tierrasanta neighborhood of San Diego.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Eddy said, confirming that at least 15 homes went up in flames due to the plane crash.
Although there were no casualties on the ground, all six individuals aboard the aircraft lost their lives in the crash. A company spokesperson confirmed that three of the deceased, including Shapiro, were employees of Sound Talent Group.
“Shapiro was a founding member of the National Independent Talent Organization and on Thursday, NITO officials released a statement sharing its members condolences,” the statement reads. “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.”
The trip had reportedly been piloted by Shapiro, a well-known music agent, flight instructor, and proprietor of the Sound Talent Group booking agency and Velocity Records label.
Prior to takeoff, Williams posted multiple images on Instagram of himself entering the plane with Shapiro and sitting in the cockpit.
The Devil Wears Prada band officially confirmed Williams’ death on their Instagram page, sharing several photos of Williams and Shapiro together.
The cause of the plane crash is still to be determined, but it happened during heavy fog in the morning near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
“You could barely see in front of you,” said Eddy, the assistant fire chief.
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