Just down the road from me, a helicopter crashed in Calabasas in the dense gray morning fog. All five people have been killed, and one of them was Kobe Bryant, the NBA superstar.
Variety and the Washington Post have confirmed initial reports from TMZ and ESPN.
Reactions and remembrances poured in almost immediately:
Our hearts go out to his wife and daughters and the families of the others who died in the crash who have not yet been identified.
UPDATE: TMZ reports that his 13-year old daughter was on the aircraft and killed, too:
Kobe's daughter Gianna Maria Onore -- aka GiGi -- was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash ... reps for Kobe tell TMZ Sports. She was 13.
We're told they were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred. The Academy is in nearby Thousand Oaks.
More:
Sources: Kobe Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with his daughter Gianna when the helicopter crashed. Those aboard the helicopter also included another player and parent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 26, 2020
UPDATE: 2:50PM PST
LA Sheriff's Department says 9 people perished aboard the helicopter: Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna, and 7 others who have not yet been identified.
