Kobe Bryant dies in California helicopter crash

Kobe Bryant and one of his daughters were among the nine people killed in a helicopter crash in southern California on Sunday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed. 

The 41-year-old former NBA star and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were aboard the aircraft when it went down in Calabasas around 10 a.m. PST. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office says there were no survivors in the crash on a hillside near the intersection of Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street. 

Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with Gianna.

He also reports that those aboard the helicopter also included another player and a parent.

TMZ, who was the first to report Bryant’s death, reports that Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, was not aboard the copter. They have three other daughters as well, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. 

During a press conference Sunday afternoon, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said his office would not be releasing the official identities of the the deceased until the county’s coroner makes the determination.  However, Villanueva did say that nine bodies were found at the scene of the crash, including the pilot. That’s four more victims than the sheriff’s office originally said there were.