San Diego, CA
More victims identified in fatal San Diego plane crash
Coroner’s officials have identified all but one of the six people killed when a plane crashed into a San Diego military housing community last week, as federal authorities today continued to probe the cause of the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that there were six people aboard the 1985 Cessna 550 Citation when it plowed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood at about 3:45 a.m. Thursday, injuring eight people on the ground and forcing about 100 people from their homes.
FAA records showed that the plane was registered to an Alaskan company owned by 42-year-old Dave Shapiro, a music industry agent who owned and co- founded El Cajon-based talent agency Sound Talent Group, which represented many punk and hard rock bands including Pierce the Veil and Sum 41. Shapiro was one of five victims officially identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office as of Sunday.
Also named were:
— Emma Huke, 25.
— Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 36.
— Kendall Fortner, 24.
— Dominic Damian, 41.
The sixth victim was 39-year-old Daniel Williams, former drummer for the metal band The Devil Wears Prada. Pictures posted Wednesday night from Williams’ Instagram page show a plane bearing a registration number that matches the plane investigators say crashed Thursday morning. A caption reads “Flying back with @davevelocity,” which is Shapiro’s Instagram handle, while another picture appears to be taken from the co-pilot’s seat of the plane.
Early Thursday afternoon, The Devil Wears Prada posted several pictures of Williams on the band’s social media pages, with a caption reading, “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
All six victims were aboard the plane when it crashed.
Officials have not said who was flying the plane, but according to multiple media reports, Shapiro had a pilot’s license.
Huke was a booking assistant for Sound Talent Group, and Fortner also worked for the company.
Damian was an accomplished martial arts practitioner who worked out at The Training Center in Pacific Beach. Citing family members, CBS8 reported that a memorial service would be held for the San Diego resident in Pacific Beach on Monday.
Kenyon was a photographer.
“Celina was an amazing mother, daughter, sister, grand-daughter, partner and friend,” her family told NBC7. “She decided to fly home to San Diego with other crew and friends on a late night private flight rather than a commercial flight so she could get home early to take her daughter to school. Our family is devastated beyond these words. The world has lost a beautiful bright light.”
A company spokesperson for Sound Talent Group released a statement to Billboard that said: “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 so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
A National Transportation Safety Board investigator said both the runway lights and an automated weather-notification system at the destination airport were inoperable when the plane crashed. The Cessna, which was registered out of Alaska, left New Jersey at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, then stopped over in Wichita, Kansas to refuel, before departing for San Diego. NTSB investigators said they believe the plane was bound for Montgomery Field.
Investigator Elliott Simpson of the NTSB said Thursday afternoon that the plane struck powerlines about two miles southeast of the airport, then collided with a house. Simpson declined to say whether the Cessna striking the powerlines was related to the cause of the crash, but said fragments of the plane were found beneath the powerlines.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy said Thursday it was foggy at the time the private plane crashed.
“You could barely see in front of you,” he said.
On Friday, NTSB Investigator Dan Baker said that the pilot reported no problems to air traffic control prior to the crash. Some airport runway lights at Montgomery Field were inoperable and the airport’s weather information system was down “due to an unrelated power surge,” Baker said.
The Cessna also lacked a flight data recorder, according to Baker, who said investigators were working to see if the plane had a cockpit voice recorder. Maintenance records indicate one may have been installed previously, but it was unclear if it was operational.
While most of the injuries on the ground were described as minor, the crash destroyed one home and sparked fires at several others, with flames spreading to cars and other debris in the neighborhood. Eddy said all of the homes that were damaged were occupied when the impact occurred.
Homeowner Ben McCarty, whose house on the corner of Salmon and Sample streets was caved in by the wreckage, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that his family’s life might have been saved by the fact that he parked his truck in front of the house.
“If that truck hadn’t been there and that plane had gone straight into the house, it probably would have killed us,” McCarty said. He also said he put the family’s two dogs in a crate that night instead of having them sleep in the living room as they often did, which he thinks saved their lives as well.
Some streets in the area surrounding the crash site were closed during the investigation. Taussig Street and Yorktown Drive were reopened to vehicle traffic on Thursday, and Santo Road was fully reopened Friday. Sample and Salmon streets remained closed.
Authorities advised anyone who smells jet fuel or finds debris near the scene of the crash site to call 619-531-2000. Those who had to leave their animals behind were advised to call the San Diego Humane Society emergency response team at 619-299-7012 or go to sdhumane.org/lost.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video footage was asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
“In moments like this, we’re reminded of the strength and compassion that define our community,” the SDPD said in a statement Friday. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families impacted by yesterday’s plane crash. We’re truly grateful to every neighbor, first responder, and volunteer who came together to support one another.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria praised what he called “an extraordinary response effort here led by San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and San Diego Police Department. What you see is a collaborative effort with county, state and federal partners as well as our partners in the community. Our city will be supporting these families who were impacted here. They are a part of the military community that makes up our city. Proud partners of our community. And we will support them for as long as it takes to make sure we get back to good here in Tierrasanta.
“On behalf of our city, I extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of those aboard the plane. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, San Diego Police Department, CalFire and military police for their swift, coordinated response that quickly evacuated residents, extinguished fires and secured the area to ensure this tragedy was not compounded. San Diego will support the Navy as they assist the residents affected by this tragedy,” Gloria added.
San Diego, CA
Military bases in San Diego County increase security following Iran attacks
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Military bases in San Diego County and nationwide have increased security measures due to last weekend’s U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, prompting traffic delays near base entrances, enhanced ID checks and access restrictions.
The Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado ports three aircraft carriers, including the San Diego-based USS Abraham Lincoln, which led some of the first-wave attacks on Saturday.
Naval Base Coronado warned motorists of possible traffic delays at all base entry points due to the increased security measures.
Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.
The U.S. operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” and Israeli operation, “Raging Lion,” began striking targets at 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time Saturday.
As of Tuesday, at least six U.S. service members had been killed in action.
The strikes also killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who had been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, making him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East.
Iran’s offensive forces claimed to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles, but according to an X post from U.S central Command, “The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”
Those with concerns regarding the heightened security can contact San Diego County’s Office of Emergency Services at 858-565-3490 or oes@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
San Diego, CA
SD Unified moves forward with layoffs of classified employees
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Less than 3 weeks after the San Diego Unified School District finalized a new contract with teachers, the school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with layoff notices for other district employees.
The layoffs affect classified employees — workers who are employed by the district but are not teachers and are not certified. That includes bus drivers, custodians, special education and teacher aides, and cafeteria workers.
The district says it is eliminating 221 positions — 133 that are currently filled and 88 that are vacant — to save $19 million and help address a projected $47 million deficit for the next fiscal year.
Preliminary layoff notices will go out on March 15, with final notices by May 15.
The district estimates about 200 classified employees will receive preliminary notices, but of them, about 70 are expected to lose their jobs based on union-negotiated bumping rules.
Bumping allows employees with more seniority to move into another position in the same classification, thereby “bumping” a less senior employee out of that role.
Lupe Murray, an early childhood special education parafacilitator with the district, said the news came as a shock after the teacher strike was called off.
“When the strike was called off, I’m like, ‘Yes!’ So then when I got the email from the Superintendent, I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ So, I think everyone was shocked,” Murray said.
The district says it sends out annual layoff notices, as all districts in the state do.
Before Tuesday’s board meeting, classified employees rallied outside, made up of CSEA (California School Employees Association) Chapters OTBS 788, Paraeducators 759, and OSS 724. They were joined by parents, students, and the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Miguel Arellano, a paraeducator independence facilitator with San Diego Unified and a representative of San Diego Paraeducators Cahpter 759.
“What do we want? No layoffs! When do we want it? Now!” the crowd chanted.
Arellano said he felt compelled to act when he learned about the potential layoffs.
“The first thing that went through my mind was that I need to speak up. I need to protect these people,” Arellano said.
Inside the meeting, the board heard emotional, at times tearful testimony from classified employees before voting unanimously to move forward with the layoff schedule.
Superintendent Fabi Bagula said the district has tried to protect classrooms from the cuts.
“We have tried our best to only, I mean, to not touch the school. Or the classroom. But now it’s at the point where it’s getting a little bit harder,” Bagula said. “What I’m still hoping, or what I’m still working toward, because we’re still in negotiations, is that we’re able to actually come to a win-win, where there’s positions and availability and maybe even promotions for folks that are impacted.”
Arellano warned the layoffs could have a direct impact on students.
“We are already spread thin, so, with more of a case load, it’s going to be impossible to be able to service all the students that we need to have,” Arellano said.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
San Diego, CA
Scripps Oceanography granted $15M for deep sea, glacier science
The Fund for Science and Technology, a new private foundation, granted Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego $15 million for ocean science Tuesday.
FFST, funded by the estate of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, was started in 2025 with a commitment to invest at least $500 million over four years to “propel transformative science and technology for people and the planet.”
“Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is pushing boundaries for exploration and discovery across the global ocean,” Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said. “This visionary support from the Fund for Science and Technology will enable Scripps researchers to advance our understanding of our planet, which has meaningful implications for communities around the world.”
The grant, the largest of its kind since Scripps joined UCSD in 1960, will go toward research in three areas: monitoring of environmental DNA and other biomolecules in marine ecosystems, adding to the Argo network of ocean observing robots, and enhancing the study of ocean conditions beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, often referred to as the “Doomsday Glacier.”
Scripps Institution of Oceanography has used Argo floats for more than two decades to track climate impacts in our oceans. NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe reports.
“The Fund for Science and Technology was created to support transformational science in the search of answers to some of the planet’s most complex questions,” said Dr. Lynda Stuart, president and CEO at the fund. “Scripps has a long tradition of leadership at the frontiers of ocean and climate science, and this work builds on that legacy — strengthening the tools and insights needed to understand our environment at a truly global and unprecedented scale.”
Scripps Director Emeritus Margaret Leinen will use a portion of the grant in her analysis of eDNA — free-floating fragments of DNA shed by organisms into the environment — in understudied parts of the ocean to collect crucial baseline data on marine organisms, according to a statement from Scripps.
“In many regions, we know very little about the microbial communities that form the base of the ocean food web or that make deep sea ecosystems so unique,” Leinen said. “Without data, we can’t predict how these communities are going to respond to climate change or what the consequences might be. That’s a vulnerability — and this funding will help us begin to address it.”
Using autonomous samplers that can collect ocean water for eDNA analysis, as well as conventional sampling, scientists will use tools to “reveal the biology of the open ocean and polar regions.”
According to Scripps, the international Argo program has more than 4,000 floats that drift with currents and periodically dive to measure temperature, salinity and pressure. Standard floats can record data up to depths of 2,000 meters (6,560 feet), while newer Deep Argo floats can dive to 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).
The grant funding announced Tuesday will allow for Scripps to deploy around 50 Deep Argo floats along with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
Sarah Purkey, physical oceanographer at Scripps and Argo lead, said this leap forward in deep ocean monitoring comes at a crucial time because the deep sea has warmed faster than expected over the last two decades.
Thwaites Glacier is Antarctica’s largest collapsing glacier and contains enough ice to raise global sea level by roughly two feet if it were to collapse entirely. According to Scripps, prior expeditions led by scientist Jamin Greenbaum discovered anomalously warm water beneath the glacier’s ice shelf — contributing to melting from below. Greenbaum now seeks to collect water samples and other measurements from beneath Thwaites’ ice tongue to disentangle the drivers of its rapid melting.
This season’s Antarctic fieldwork will “test hypotheses about the drivers of Thwaites’ rapid melt with implications for sea-level rise projections,” the statement from Scripps said.
“The ocean holds answers to some of the most pressing questions about our planet’s future, but only if we can observe it,” said Meenakshi Wadhwa, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and vice chancellor for marine sciences at UCSD. “This historic grant will help ocean scientists bring new tools and approaches to parts of the ocean we’ve barely begun to explore.”
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