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23rd May 2025
10:06am BST
A famous drummer has died after the private jet he had boarded crashed into a US neighbourhood.
Daniel Williams, 39, was the former drummer in the Christian metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada.
He filmed himself boarding the Cessna 550 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey late Wednesday night.
He also uploaded an image showing him sitting at the aircraft's controls with the caption: "Hey. Hey...you...look at me...I'm the (co)pilot now."
It remains unclear whether or not he was joking.
Williams left The Devli Wears Prada in 2016 to become a software engineer. He told his followers that he was flying with music agent and pilot Dave Shapiro.
On Wednesday, investigators confirmed both people on board the plane died. Eight people were injured, although investigators haven't said if they were on the ground.
The jet's destination was San Diego's Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, however it never reached its destination.
The aircraft crashed into the US military's largest housing neighbourhood. Everyone on board died, according to officials.
At least 10 houses were burned or hit by debris, and a family of five was hospitalised for smoke inhalation and another person was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained while climbing out of a window trying to flee.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Shapiro's friend Ryan Bruce, a music producer, said: "Dave changed mine and a lot of other people’s lives and the community he built and the network of bands he has worked with and supported will never forget him.
"Daniel left us a lot of music to remember him by and he was a super sweet guy."
Music executive Terrance Coughlin paid tribute to Williams and Shapiro on X.
He said: "Rest in Peace Dave Shapiro, Daniel Williams, and everyone on that flight. Some of my very first shows were booked through Dave.
"I had a handful of shows with Daniel, always a pleasure to see him play. Gone way too soon."
