David Shapiro dies in fatal San Diego plane crash

David Shapiro dies in fatal San Diego plane crash

Fatal San Diego plane crash death of David Shapiro – Obituary

David Shapiro, aged 42, was one of six individuals presumed dead after a small aircraft went down in a San Diego neighborhood early Thursday morning. The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Shapiro, along with 25-year-old Emma L. Huke and 36-year-old Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, were aboard a Cessna plane that crashed on the 10200 block of Sample Street at approximately 3:47 a.m.

Federal authorities stated that all six individuals on board are believed to have perished. While the crash caused fires that damaged nearby homes and vehicles, only a few residents suffered minor injuries, mainly due to smoke exposure and emergency escapes through windows.

Shapiro, co-founder of the San Diego-based Sound Talent Group, was officially identified by the agency as one of the victims. The company also reported the loss of two more employees, though their names were initially withheld. Rock band The Devil Wears Prada shared that their former drummer Daniel Williams, who played with them for ten years beginning in 2005, was among those killed.

Tandem Management Company, which represents The Devil Wears Prada, publicly mourned the loss of Shapiro, Huke, Williams, and Kendall Fortner in a Facebook tribute, describing them as irreplaceable figures in the music world.

Dominic Damian was later named as the sixth victim by The Training Center, a local gym in San Diego. The gym announced plans to honor Damian with a memorial open mat event on Monday.

At a press conference held Friday, federal investigators shared preliminary findings, noting that essential navigation systems such as the approach lights to Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport were not functioning at the time of the crash.