The former mayor of a Northern California city who stepped down after he harshly criticized President Donald Trump and his supporters has been killed in a plane crash.

Dr. Bill Kirby, who was the mayor of Auburn, died in the crash Saturday morning near the Auburn Municipal Airport, officials have said.

Kirby, a urologist, was the pilot and a passenger in the plane suffered minor injuries and was transported to a hospital, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

He is survived by his son James Kirby, his daughter Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez, son-in-law Adam Gonzalez, and grandchildren Addison and Chloe Gonzalez.

Dr. Bill Kirby, who was the mayor of Auburn, died in the crash (pictured) Saturday morning near the Auburn Municipal Airport

The former mayor of a Northern California city stepped down after he harshly criticized President Donald Trump and his supporters

A Facebook post from Sacramento political consultant Jeff Raimundo carried a statement from the Kirby family confirming he was the victim.

'Our beloved father and grandfather, Dr. William Kirby, the Mayor of Auburn, has been tentatively identified as the person killed in the plane that crashed near the Auburn Airport this morning about 10:30 a.m. Another person in the plane survived the crash. Unfortunately, we do not yet have many other details or answers.

'Our family is devastated by this tragic news,' the statement by the family said. 'Bill devoted decades of enthusiastic and loving support to his family, his patients and the Auburn community he loved so much. We will miss him immensely but take comfort in knowing he died while flying - one of the other loves of his life.'

Kirby, 72, had been a licensed pilot since at least 2009, according to public records cited by the Sacramento Bee. The same year he became a public councilman.

The family statement added that he had a wider role in the community.

'In addition to his years on the City Council, Bill Kirby served as Auburn Little League President, a Director of the Auburn Area Recreation & Parks District, a urologist in Auburn and Woodland, Chief of Medical Staff at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital and a Rotarian.' the statement continued.

'He was inducted into the Placer High School Athletics Hall of Fame as team physician for more than three decades, and was a passionate advocate of the Auburn art community, a pilot and a physician with “Flying Doctors."'

The family added: 'He loved his family, especially his two granddaughters. He poured his passion into life and the world is a better place because of him.'

A passenger in the plane suffered minor injuries and was transported to a hospital, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Authorities are seen responding to the scene on Saturday after the crash

'He was inducted into the Placer High School Athletics Hall of Fame as team physician for more than three decades, and was a passionate advocate of the Auburn art community, a pilot and a physician with “Flying Doctors,"' his family said

Kirby gained notoriety last week after social media posts criticizing Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and comparing the president's supporters to KKK members.

The post from April 5, referencing the CDC's recommendation to wear a face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic, read: 'Good news about Trump supporters is they already have masks'.

It appeared alongside the image of a Ku Klux Klan hood.

Kirby re-shared the post created by another person, and commented: 'True'.

He commented to a Facebook user: 'I am calm. Just a realist. If Hitler and everyone who supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939 the world would be a much better place.

'The same is more true of trump and his supporters today.'

'Our family is devastated by this tragic news,' the statement by the family said. 'Bill devoted decades of enthusiastic and loving support to his family, his patients and the Auburn community he loved so much'

He told the Auburn Journal a week ago that his Facebook posts were made on a personal page and that 'this has nothing to do with my job. I reposted it.'

He added that he 'absolutely' believes Trump is a racist.

Kirby's posts and statements created an outcry and calls for his recall.

He announced during a City Council meeting Monday that he was stepping aside from his post as mayor and was expected to be succeeded by Councilman Daniel Berlant, the Sacramento Bee reported.

After news of his death, a sarcastic Facebook page created to criticize Kirby, announced his death and the admin said it would delete the page shortly.

'While I don't agree with him at all or the things he said I am genuinely saddened by this news. Keep his family in your thoughts and prayers, this has to be incredibly difficult time for them,' the post read.

The admin added in a reply to comments: 'He literally posted calling for the deaths of millions die to political ideologies. The pictures are on this page, I won't repost them as while I have little respect for his viewpoints I respect the fact there is a family in pain and there is zero point to trashing a man who just died.

'He said some disgusting things and was exposed for it but there are few people who would have wished this on him.'

Kirby re-shared the post created by another person, and commented: 'True'. He commented to a Facebook user: 'If Hitler and everyone who supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939 the world would be a much better place'

A sarcastic Facebook page created to criticize Kirby, has shared his past social media posts