Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada and music agent Dave Shapiro killed in private jet crash
A tragic plane crash in San Diego has claimed the lives of former The Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams and music agent Dave Shapiro. The crash occurred after Williams shared a photo of himself at the controls of the Cessna 550, which took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday night.
Williams, 39, posted a final image to Instagram, joking about being the "co-pilot now" as he boarded the plane with Shapiro, who was also a pilot. The Cessna made a fueling stop in Wichita, Kansas, before continuing on its route to California. However, shortly before reaching its final destination, Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, the plane crashed in a residential neighbourhood, igniting a massive fireball.
Shapiro, who had been working as a music agent for several years and was also a pilot, had recently purchased the Cessna. His friend, music producer Ryan Bruce, paid tribute, calling Shapiro a life-changer for the music community, while also remembering Williams for the impact he made through his music.
The crash, which occurred at around 4 a.m. PT, also injured eight individuals on the ground. San Diego authorities confirmed that several homes were damaged or destroyed by debris, and residents were evacuated to a nearby school. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described the scene as "horrific," with debris scattered and fires still burning.
Both Williams and Shapiro are being mourned by the music community, with tributes pouring in from across the industry. Shapiro's contribution to the network of bands he supported will not be forgotten, while Williams is remembered for his legacy with The Devil Wears Prada.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with the National Transportation Safety Board leading the inquiry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistani celebrity couples share Eid ul Azha moments
Listen to article Pakistani celebritiy couples took to social media to share moments from their Eidul Azha celebrations, posting pictures with their families in traditional outfits. Ali Ansari and Saboor Aly marked their first Eidul Azha with their daughter, Serena Ali. Saboor wore a mint green embroidered chickenkari dress and twinned with Serena in a similar shade. Ali Ansari opted for a classic black kurta shalwar. Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt also shared images from the day. Aiman wore a mint green and pink outfit, while Muneeb chose a floral cotton kurta with white pants. Their daughters, Amal and Miral, wore red and yellow dresses, respectively. Sarah Khan and Falak Shabir posted coordinated photos, with Sarah in a floral silk saree and Falak in a light khaki kurta. Sana Javed and Shoaib Malik were seen celebrating Eid in Dubai. Sana opted for a pastel-toned outfit, while Shoaib wore a classic blue shalwar kameez. The couple posed for cheerful photos, wishing fans a happy Eid. Sunita Marshall and Hassan Ahmed shared warm family portraits. Sunita wore a maroon and grey ensemble, while Hassan and their son dressed in traditional kurta-pajama. Mawra Hocane and Ameer Gilani, recently married, shared their first Eid images. Mawra wore a purple and maroon ensemble, while Ameer sported a clean-shaven look. Iqra Aziz and Yasir Hussain kept their outfits light for the summer heat. Iqra wore a grey chickenkari suit, Yasir wore a light green kurta, and their son Kabir wore a black kurta shalwar. Nida Yasir and Yasir Nawaz posted casual photos. Nida wore a printed kurta in pink and yellow, while Yasir wore a black shirt with grey pants and yellow joggers. Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor shared a video marking the first day of Eid. The couple chose all-white outfits for the occasion. While the couple has often included their children in previous Eid photos, they announced they would be keeping Hoorain and Rayyan's images private moving forward. Across Instagram, stars conveyed warm wishes to their followers while highlighting the spirit of sacrifice and family togetherness.
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Justin Bieber's social media posts continue to raise concerns among fans
Justin Bieber's latest Instagram post has sparked widespread concern among fans, many of whom are urging the singer to 'get help' following a series of mirror selfies shared on Saturday. The photos, taken in a bathroom, show Bieber posing awkwardly and making exaggerated faces. He captioned the post, 'U could point at my flaws. Or u could recognize ur own lil b**ch.' Followers quickly flooded the comments with concern. 'So hard and sad to watch. Why are the people around him not helping him when he's clearly struggling. He's not clear at all and hurting,' one comment read. Another added, 'Babe. Please go get help.' Some fans compared Bieber's behaviour to other celebrities known for public struggles. 'It's looking like Liam Payne and Britney [Spears] someone needs to help him before it's too late,' wrote a user. Several referenced a February appearance at Hailey Bieber's Rhode Skin event, where his erratic actions raised eyebrows and triggered speculation about possible drug use. Although his representative previously denied any substance abuse and criticised the drug rumours as 'harmful,' Bieber has continued to openly display his marijuana use. In April, sources close to the singer voiced their alarm in The Hollywood Reporter, saying they were watching him 'disintegrate.' One former team member said, 'He's lost. There's no one protecting him because there's no one there willing to say no to him.'
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
The fall of Bollywood's conscience
In the great theatre of the subcontinent, many roles are played. The diplomat with his pocket square, ever so cautious, so vary of his words; the journalist with his war drum baritone and breaking news ticker; the general adorned in ranks, with his maps, military insights and strategically placed metaphors. But perhaps the most watched performers, the ones that garner the most eyeballs, are the stars, the celebrities, the legends of celluloid — those silken, sculpted, social-media-verified wonders of Indian cinema, who, in times of tension, often hold more sway over the hearts of their fans than even actual heads of state. So, when the most recent diplomatic domino between Pakistan and India began to fall, sparked by a tragic incident in Kashmir and snowballing into a full-blown chest-thumping war mongering chaos, eyes obviously turned to the borders. For the latest updates and bulletins, eyes turned to the news. And for everything in between, they turned to mobile screens. While the news cycle monopolised missile updates and water cooler conversations stoked further trepidation, it was on social media, Facebook and Instagram pages, and Threads of the world that we witnessed, some with a shrug and others with resignation, a curtain fall. The fanfare of nationalist fervour is nothing new. We have seen it before — during surgical strikes, border standoffs, even high-stake cricket matches. But this time, it felt different. The air itself had a simmering quality to it. This time, it was the power corridors of Bollywood that stood in a staunch and ignoble salute. Fan favourite stars from the lauded Bollywood pantheon, like Akshay Kumar, whose recent filmography reads like a defence ministry-sponsored resume, wasted no time. His message was swift: unwavering support for the Indian response, patriotic hashtags, and a pixel-perfect picture of the tri-coloured flag. Quick on his heels was the ever-so-predictable Kangana Ranaut, Bollywood's resident Rottweiler of righteousness. Never known for subtlety, Ms Ranaut deemed it appropriate to post that Pakistan was a 'terrorist nation' and called for the 'cleansing' of traitors. 'These [insert PC term for insects known for their signature infestations and filth] should be nuked' she said. And in doing so India will actually be doing the entire world a huge favour. Even the usually discreet monoliths — Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgan, and Shahid Kapoor chimed in with near-identical messages support for the armed forces, for the government, for decisive action. A methodical barrage of copy-paste nationalism. Who would have thought that the modern face of digital diplomacy could be achieved in 280 characters or less? Citizens of a proud nation simply supporting their sovereign nation? That wasn't jarring really. Why would anyone assume otherwise? Why wouldn't the slumbering nationalism be kindled by the horns of war? But what truly unsettled fans, particularly across this side of the border, was how quickly this nuance petered out. And in that silence, there seemed to be no room for peace, no space for reflection. The world's biggest democracy was suddenly rendered to be nothing more than an echo chamber. Perhaps the most painful silence was from those who once told stories that made these very borders blur. Alia Bhatt, beloved on both sides of the Wagah gate, posted a vaguely-worded graphic: 'Strength. Solidarity. Resilience.' It was the PR version of nodding solemnly and exiting stage left. And then there was the illustrious Karan Johar whose popularity spikes are the bread and butter of the expat South Asian demographic (in its gargantuan entirety) posted an Indian flag. No caption, no context. Just 'vibes'. A hard one to reconcile was the bard of Bollywood, Javed Akhtar, also known as the poet of peace and author of anthems. The same man whose verses once melted hostility into harmony, proclaimed 'I'd rather go to jahannum (hell) than go to Pakistan'. Not a great commendation for his own nation in which he currently was, observed one keen eyed netizen. For Pakistani fans, this was nothing short of watching your favourite uncle suddenly flip the dining table during Eid lunch. Praise be, all was not lost. Amidst this morbid uniformity, a few voices of dissent also joined in on the chorus; one such unexpectedly (but most welcomingly) from Sonakshi Sinha. While others laced up their patriotic boots, she dared to 'run amok' on Instagram. 'The Indian media has lost the plot. This isn't journalism, it's dangerous fiction.' No flags. No warmongering. Not a battle cry. Just a slice of honesty. A whisper in fact. Of course, Ms Sinha was swiftly trolled, memed, accused of being 'anti-national,' and told to go to Pakistan (a favourite insult, it seems, for anyone who suggested peace in that time). But she reminded us of something crucial: bravery isn't always about standing tall. Sometimes, it can just be about not sitting down when everyone else has. While India's celebrity class was actively engaged in staging their synchronised salute, the world also had the pleasure (read titillation) of tuning into a very different performance, one that took place on Piers Morgan Uncensored. There, sat across from each other, were Barkha Dutt and Hina Rabbani Khar. One Indian. One Pakistani. One a journalist. One a former foreign minister. Both articulate, accomplished women; razor-sharp, and blessedly allergic to nonsense. Khar, with her characteristic calm and poise, spoke of nuance, context, and the inherent dangers of nationalist hysteria. Barkha, no stranger to war reporting, put on a grand show, pushing back at every notch she possibly could. For a brief moment outside the 'theatricality', the screens became a classroom. One where nobody yelled 'Jai ABC' or 'Death to XYZ', and everyone simply listened. What a contrast to Instagram's red carpets of conformity it truly was. For Pakistanis, Indian cinema has been primarily for entertainment, but additionally, it has also been a companion. A cultural mirror that everyone in the south Asian region can glom onto seeking valid representation and actually 'be seen' by the rest of the world. Bollywood to Pakistanis has been a secret rebellion against political bitterness. From DDLJ and Devdas posters adorning every other inner-city salon in major urban locales to Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal and Diljit Dosanjh being played at almost every wedding function and celebration, Bollywood has always held an intimate and fortified place in our hearts. It is reasonable then that this moment in history did not go over too well with the Pakistani audience. It felt much like, to perhaps the uninitiated, being ghosted by someone who you had once loved unconditionally. To see your once revered icons tweet in unison about severe military action against your homeland with such brazen callousness was unmistakably heartbreaking. Especially when you factor in how the majority of it all actually appeared performative — as opposed to genuine patriotism. And what of the audiences who always consumed Indian cinema with rose-tinted nostalgia? Many now found themselves confused, disappointed, and quietly (but profoundly) wounded. It wasn't just that stars didn't advocate for peace, it was that they didn't seem to care really. No acknowledgement of the mutual love they received across the border. No reminder that their music was the soundtrack of Pakistani childhoods, their dialogues recited in college hallways. Instead, silence. And silence, when given a platform, can be very, very loud. Why did this happen? Why didn't more stars speak out for peace? Well, it's not just about courage. It is also about contracts. Since 2014, Indian cinema has become increasingly aligned with the political establishment du jour. Films like The Kashmir Files are tax-exempt. Directors with the 'right' politics get easier approvals, cheaper insurance, state PR. Meanwhile, those with inconvenient opinions get labelled 'urban naxals' or 'tukde tukde gang.' Ask Deepika Padukone, who showed up at a student protest in 2020. She said nothing, just stood there. But that silence cost her millions in brand deals and led to calls for a boycott of her film. The writing on the wall was quite clear: dare to speak against the tide, and you shall be made to disappear. Even the once mighty and untouchable Khans, Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir, have faced the wrath of their fanatical home-grown audience, and have been left with no choice but to play it safe and stay 'mum'. Not long ago, SRK's son was jailed under suspicious circumstances with King Khan jolting from lawyers' chambers to police stations as an inconsequential and lowly civilian. Aamir was attacked for his wife's comments on rising intolerance and his movie 'Laal Singh Chadda' was massacred in the box office for his alleged (and somewhat imagined) anti-state rhetoric. Even Salman who has always kept his alliances clear has become a prisoner of the gallows, living in anguish under the ever-looming threat of the Bishnoi gang. We know, we understand and feel empathy for these stars. But not all was lost. Anurag Kashyap, never one to bow, tweeted cryptically about how 'conformity is not the same as unity.' Another personality, often chastised for her exceptionally 'woke' stances, Swara Bhasker shared an article on the need for empathy, adding: 'Peace isn't weakness. Hate isn't strength.' These voices were barely audible, drowned out by hashtags and hyperbole. But they mattered. Because resistance doesn't always come with fireworks. Sometimes, it just comes with a spine. This could have been a moment. A cinematic plot twist. Imagine if Shah Rukh had posted a throwback clip from Main Hoon Na. Or if Madhuri had tweeted 'Peace is patriotic.' If Priety Zinta had only quoted a line from her famous Veer Zaara song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera'. If Ranveer Singh had just... danced it out? But no. All we got brand-safe statements, media-managed mentions, and a whole lot of silence. What a story it could have been. What a script we missed. There was a time when Indian films imagined a better world. When screenwriters flirted with forbidden love across borders, when a song could soften suspicion, and when a poem could become protest. Today, those scripts are shelved, their authors quiet, their protagonists, for all intents and purposes, neutered by eagle-eyed publicists and spectres of political correctness. So here we are, popcorn in one hand, a tear stained handkerchief in the other, looking at the silver screen, waiting for someone, anyone, in this great theatre of the subcontinent, to play the role of the artist again. To remind us that before they were influencers, stars were simply storytellers. That their job was not just to reflect power, but to sometimes question it. And perhaps one day, they will. When it's safer. When the script changes. When bravery is back in vogue. Until then, we are left with silence. Polished. PR-approved. Politically correct. But silence nonetheless. Shahzad Abdullah is a PR and communications strategist, cultural curator and director of communications at Media Matters All facts are information are the sole responsibility of the
