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Six people died in a tragic aircraft accident in San Diego early Thursday morning (May 22nd)-including the former drummer of the metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, Daniel Williams, as well as the music agent and pilot Dave Shapiro.
Drummer dies when the aircraft crash: Maschinex roams the power line
The Cessna 550, controlled by the music agent Shapiro itself, crashed around three kilometers south of the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport at around 3:45 a.m. after touching a power line in a suburb. The impact triggered a large -scale fire that damaged several residential buildings, destroyed dozens of vehicles and forced over 100 people to evacuate. Fortunately, nobody was harmed on the ground, but all six occupants of the aircraft died in the accident.
According to flight data, the machine started from Teterboro Airport near New York City late Wednesday evening. After a short tank stop in Wichita, in the US state of Kansas, she continued her flight to San Diego.
Farewell to ex-drummer Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams, who was a member of The Devil Wears Prada between 2005 and 2016, had shared photos of himself and Shapiro in the aircraft cockpit on Instagram shortly before the start. The band later confirmed that the drummer died in the plane crash on their own Instagram channel and published a picture of Williams with the caption: “No words. We owe everything to you. Forever into love.”
Shapiro was not only an experienced pilot, but also a central figure in the alternative music scene. As the founder of the booking agency “Sound Talent Group” and the “Velocity Records” label, he worked with numerous well-known artists and bands. Three of the deaths of the accident – including Shapiro himself – were employees of his agency, as a company spokesman confirmed.
Nito appreciates Shapiro’s legacy
The national independent talent organization (Nito), which Shapiro had founded, published an official statement and recognized his influence on the industry: “Dave was a visionary whose passion and commitment shaped countless musicians’ career. During the pandemic, he was significantly involved in leading many college: his difficult time is a difficult time for our community.”
During Williams’ time at The Devil Wears Prada, the band reached the Billboard 200 with the Zombie EP (2010) and Dead Throne (2011). In the hard-rock charts, the group was also able to reach first place with with roots above and industry.