Music Industry Agent Killed In San Diego Plane Crash

SAN DIGEO, CA — A music industry agent was among those killed when a plane crashed early Thursday morning into a residential neighborhood in San Diego.

Dave Shapiro, 42, owned the Cessna 550 aircraft that went down amid foggy weather around 3:45 a.m. near Sculpin Street and Santo Road in the Murphy Canyon community, Billboard reported.

Six people were on board the plane, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. All of them were presumed dead.

The Cessna, which was registered out of Alaska, left New Jersey on Wednesday, then stopped over in Wichita, Kansas, to refuel, before departing for San Diego, according to Flightaware.com.

Federal Aviation Administration records showed that the plane was registered to an Alaskan company owned by Shapiro, who also owned El Cajon-based talent agency Sound Talent Group.

Two other Sound Talent Group employees were killed in the crash, Billboard reported.

"We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends," a spokesperson for Sound Talent Group told Billboard. "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."

People in the music industry shared their memories of Shapiro on social media, including Nate Blasdell, a musician and former member of the band I Set My Friends on Fire.

"Absolutely heartbroken to hear of the passing of Dave Shapiro," Blasdell wrote on X. "Dave was the first booking agent I ever worked with and he was a major part of my music career in my late teen years. He was also the first booking agent that ISMFOF ever had and played a role in the early years of the band. He was truly the best in the game at what he did and one of the most respected people in the industry."

Eight people on the ground were injured, largely with minor injuries, including one person who was taken to a hospital, officials said.

The plane crash damaged at least 10 buildings and several vehicles, and forced the evacuation of about 100 people in one of the U.S. military's largest housing neighborhoods. One home was destroyed.

• Also see: At Least 2 Killed, 8 Injured In Plane Crash In San Diego Neighborhood