Sound Talent Group Co-founder Dave Shapiro among dead after jet crashes into San Diego neighbourhood
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San Diego (AP): A private jet carrying a music talent agent and five others hit a power line in foggy weather early Thursday and crashed into a San Diego neighbourhood, slamming into a home and killing multiple people on the flight.
With the home engulfed in flames and jet fuel rolling down the streets, half a dozen vehicles ignited while residents in the neighbourhood of US Navy-owned housing were shaken awake just before 4 am by the thunderous crash and subsequent explosions. Out their windows, they saw a wall of fire.
“I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.
No one in the neighbourhood died, but eight were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and injuries that were not life-threatening, including a person who was hurt climbing out a window, police officer Anthony Carrasco said.
Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Talent Group, and two employees were among those killed, the music agency said in a statement. Sound Talent Group has represented artists including American pop band Hanson, American singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton and the Canadian rock group Sum 41. Hanson is perhaps best known for its earworm 1990s pop hit, “MMMBop.” Shapiro also owned Velocity Records.
“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,” the agency said.
Six people were on board the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities were still combing the scene and recovering the bodies before releasing an official number and identifying the dead, though there were not believed to be any survivors aboard the flight.
Daniel Williams, former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada, posted on his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon that he was boarding the plane with Shapiro. The band posted a tribute to Williams on their Instagram page.
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,” the band wrote.
A representative for the band referred to their social post when asked about Williams' death.
Parts of Shapiro's 1985 Cessna 550 Citation littered a large area, including fragments under the power lines and a section of wing on a road behind the homes, said Elliot Simpson of the National Transportation Safety Board.
Neighbourhood hit hard
The home that was struck was destroyed, with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed, and about 10 others were damaged in Murphy Canyon, the largest neighbourhood of Navy-owned housing in the country, officials said.
Ben McCarty and his wife, who live in the home that was hit, said they felt heat all around them.
“My wife was screaming, and she's like, 'There's a fire,'” McCarty, who has served in the Navy for 13 years, told local ABC affiliate KGTV.
When he walked toward the front of the house, he saw that the roof had fallen off and flames blocked their exit. They grabbed their children and dogs and ran to the back, where their neighbours helped them climb over the fence to escape.
The plane also hit both of the couple's vehicles, which burned.
“It put my truck into our living room,” McCarty said.
Other vehicles along the block were melted and scorched into burned shells. One stubborn car fire sent smoke billowing up for hours.
Ariya Waterworth said she woke up to a “whooshing sound” and then saw a giant fireball outside. She screamed for help as firefighters arrived and helped her get out with her two children and their family dog.
One of the family's cars was “completely disintegrated,” and the other had extensive damage. Her yard was littered with plane parts, broken glass and debris.
“I definitely do feel blessed, because we've been spared,” she said.
At least 100 residents were evacuated. Hours after the crash, jet fuel rolled down Salmon Street. The smell of fumes lingered throughout the day, and officials said it was unclear when it would be safe for people to return.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Assistant San Diego Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said.
Eddy added that the fog was so thick in the morning that “you could barely see in front of you.”
The plane originated from a small New Jersey airport
The flight took off from Teterboro, New Jersey, near Manhattan, at about 11:15 pm Wednesday and made a fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, before continuing on to San Diego, according to Simpson.
Based on the flight path, it was bound for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it struck power lines about 3.2 kilometres southeast of the airfield, Simpson said.
Audio recorded by www.liveATC.net includes a brief transmission from the pilot saying he was on final approach to the airport and was about 4.8 kilometres out at 3:45 am
NTSB investigators planned to spend Thursday and Friday at the scene gathering evidence, Simpson said. He welcomed video or other details from any witnesses.
The plane was attempting to land in foggy weather
At that hour and in foggy weather, the plane was likely operating on an instrument flight rules plan, which is typically used during reduced visibility, said Barry Newman, a board-certified aviation attorney.
However, for that airport, once an aircraft reaches 205 metres, the pilot also has to rely on sight.
“If a pilot descends to that level and he can't see the runway, he has to call for a missed approach or divert to another airport,” Newman said.
In October 2021 a twin-engine plane ploughed into a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. It was preparing to land at the airport.
And in December 2008, a Marine Corps fighter jet slammed into a house in San Diego's University City neighbourhood, causing an explosion that killed four people inside. The Marine Corps blamed the crash on mechanical failure and human error.
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
