After confirming the death of NBA basketballer, Kobe Bryant, in a helicopter crash, TMZ have now updated reporting to confirm his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, was also killed in the crash. The reports have since been confirmed by ESPN, NBC and more.
They were among five passengers who were onboard Kobe’s private helicopter when it went down in Calabasas, California.
UPDATE: Officials have now confirmed there were nine passengers.
A local student newspaper, the Pepperdine Graphic, published a photo of the smoking crash site to Twitter.
#BREAKING: A deadly helicopter crash in #Calabasas. @lacfd reports 5 people injured at the scene. pic.twitter.com/60h7MmxAf1
— Pepperdine Graphic (@PeppGraphic) January 26, 2020
While the identities of the other passengers have not yet been confirmed, Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, and their other three daughters, Natalia, Bianca, and newborn Capri, are still believed not to have been on board.
A rep for the Bryant family told TMZ the helicopter was bound for a basketball practice at Bryant’s “Mamba Academy” in nearby Thousand Oaks, California. Authorities and reports say the helicopter crashed amid foggy conditions.
A memorial to Bryant has already been set up outside Staples Center, home of the LA Lakers, where Kobe played for years.
A memorial to Kobe Bryant has been started outside the Staples Centre, the Lakers arena in Los Angeles https://t.co/CGWMZxBu27
— The GIST Canada (@thegistca) January 26, 2020
Tributes have been flooding in from the NBA and celebrities since the news was first reported.
