Private Jet Crash Kills Music Executive Dave Shapiro, Metalcore Drummer San Diego

A private jet crashed into a San Diego neighborhood in foggy weather, killing multiple people including influential music executive Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams, former drummer of the Ohio metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada. Shapiro co-founded Sound Talent Group, an agency representing popular bands across pop-punk, metalcore, and post-hardcore genres, as well as pop acts like Hanson and Vanessa Carlton. Both Shapiro and Williams were celebrated as pillars of their music scenes, demonstrating the mainstream success of alternative rock subgenres. The music community has expressed profound grief and admiration for Shapiro, describing him as an inspirational and positive force who remained connected to the roots of the scene. Bands such as Thursday, Pierce the Veil, and The World Alive paid tribute, highlighting Shapiro's influence and character as a guiding and genuine presence in an often exploitative industry. This tragedy has deeply impacted the alternative music community, marking a significant loss of key figures who shaped contemporary rock music.