Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.
The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star’s death was first confirmed by TMZ.
The outlet reported that Bryant was traveling with four other people – including daughter ‘Gi-Gi’ – in his private helicopter when it crashed, killing everyone on board.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of the crash near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas at around 10am after a fire broke out.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Witnesses reported hearing the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down near the home of Kourtney Kardashian.
Sources told TMZ the chopper was on its way to Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for basketball practice.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that another player and parent were also on the helicopter.
Below are photos from the accident scene:
It has also emerged that a Man predicted Kobe Bryant’s death in 2012