Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies and firefighter/paramedics from Los Angeles County Fire Department responded about noon Sunday, January 26, 2020 to a report of a helicopter crash on a hillside near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas, California.
Kobe Bryant, age 41, was reportedly killed in the helicopter crash that involved flames and smoke in Calabasas, California. He and four other people on board were also killed.
According to local media reports, Bryant was on a helicopter flying over Calabasas about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed under “unknown circumstances” and confirmed that local authorities reported to the FAA that five people were onboard at the time of the crash.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office confirmed all five people onboard had died, but did not initially confirm the identities of the passengers at the late-morning press conference.
Firefighters extinguished fire at the wreckage and also extinguished fire that spread to about an acre of dry brush.
Bryant was selected in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac before the start of the 1996-97 season, and became one of the greatest NBA players of all-time.
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BREAKING: Kobe Bryant has been killed in a helicopter crash in California, local city manager tells @NBCNews. https://t.co/SN0exPJjen
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 26, 2020
BREAKING: Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas Sunday morning. Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down. Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived. https://t.co/izOj2abWiz pic.twitter.com/pGCRkCFIZD
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 26, 2020
BREAKING: NBA legend Kobe Bryant among five people killed in helicopter crash in Southern California. https://t.co/MXXVvX76lu pic.twitter.com/TVicaFIqe9
— ABC News (@ABC) January 26, 2020
BREAKING: Kobe Bryant, five-time NBA champion, dies in helicopter crash at age 41 https://t.co/C3ziqA8a1z pic.twitter.com/B3vBR554LH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 26, 2020
Deputies on scene with @LACOFD regarding aircraft crash. https://t.co/o2xkFluzQm pic.twitter.com/BPGfKS6nFt
— LASD Lost Hills Stn. (@LHSLASD) January 26, 2020
AIRCRAFT CRASH | FS125 #Calabasas | Las Virgenes Rd x Willow Glen St | UPDATE: 1 Flight Medic from COPT12 has determined 5 patients to be dead at the crash site. No survivors from the helicopter. #WillowIC #LACoFD
— LACoFD Incident Alerts (@lacfd) January 26, 2020
AIRCRAFT CRASH | FS125 #Calabasas | Las Virgenes Rd x Willow Glen St | UPDATE: Q125 advising 1 acre of medium brush also going. This is now the “Willow Incident”. Note corrected location/district. #WillowIC #LACoFD
— LACoFD Incident Alerts (@lacfd) January 26, 2020
AIRCRAFT CRASH | FS67 #Malibu | Las Virgenes Rd x Willow Glen St | E125 reports 1 helicopter down. Full assignment en route. #LACoFD
— LACoFD Incident Alerts (@lacfd) January 26, 2020
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