Local News
San Diego plane crash victims identified as David Shapiro and Daniel Williams
SAN DIEGO, CA — A tragic plane crash early Thursday morning has claimed the lives of at least two individuals, including prominent music industry figure Dave Shapiro and former drummer of the band The Devil Wears Prada, Daniel Williams.
The crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood of San Diego, sending shockwaves through the local community and music industry alike.
The Cessna 550 Citation II aircraft, believed to be traveling from Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas, was scheduled to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
According to Flight Aware, the plane was on approach when it went down in heavy fog, impacting a densely populated residential area near Sculpin Street and Santo Road.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy described the aftermath as catastrophic. “There was a direct hit to multiple homes,” he said during a press briefing. “Jet fuel ran down the street, engulfing every single car on both sides in flames. We have a massive debris field and widespread fire damage.”
Approximately 15 homes and several vehicles were damaged or destroyed, and more than 100 residents were forced to evacuate.
At least eight individuals sustained injuries, most of them minor.
These victims were treated at an emergency evacuation center established at Miller Elementary School.
One person was hospitalized for injuries sustained while escaping through a window.
Another five members of a family were treated for smoke inhalation. Authorities reported no ground fatalities, although two people from the aircraft were confirmed deceased.
A spokesperson for Sound Talent Group, a music agency co-founded by Dave Shapiro, released a heartfelt statement following the crash:
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues, and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you for respecting their privacy at this time.”
While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and FBI personnel are also involved. Investigators are working to determine whether the aircraft may have struck power lines before crashing.
Residents near the crash site reported being jolted awake by a loud explosion. Christopher Moore, who lives one street over, described the terrifying moments after impact: “We looked out the window and saw smoke. We grabbed our two kids and ran. On the way out, we passed a car completely engulfed in flames.”
Police officers also rescued three husky puppies from one of the affected homes, transporting them safely away from the blaze in a wagon.
San Diego officials said Sculpin Street, Sample Street, and parts of Santo Road remain closed. Limited access was granted to some residents in the area by Thursday afternoon, but several streets, including Salmon Street and Yorktown Drive, remain inaccessible.
The Murphy Canyon neighborhood is home to many military families and is located near multiple aviation facilities, including Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
Eddy emphasized the difficulty of firefighting and rescue operations due to the dense fog present at the time of the crash. “Visibility was extremely limited—you could barely see in front of you,” he said.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are urging anyone who locates aircraft debris or jet fuel remnants to call the non-emergency number at 619-531-2000.
This tragic incident has left a community grieving and a music industry mourning the loss of influential voices. Further updates will be provided as new details emerge.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.