She claims that the loud, recurring noise of the jets triggered panic attacks and spikes in the cat’s heart rate and that the noise led to a rapid decline in her pet’s health, ultimately forcing her to euthanize the cat in August 2024.
A woman in Seattle has filed a federal lawsuit against the US Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team, claiming that their annual airshows over the city led to the death of her elderly cat and that she was unconstitutionally silenced for voicing her concerns online.
On July 21, Lauren Ann Lombardi submitted her complaint in US District Court, naming three Navy officers in their official capacities: Cmdr. Adam Bryan, Lt. Ben Bushong, and an unnamed social media administrator for the Blue Angels, per KIRO.
Lombardi alleges that the squadron’s low-altitude performances during Seattle’s Seafair weekends in August 2023 and 2024 caused extreme distress to her cat, Layla, who had been diagnosed with congestive heart disease.
She claims that the loud, recurring noise of the F/A-18 Super Hornets triggered panic attacks and spikes in the cat’s heart rate and that the jet noise led to a rapid decline in her pet’s health, ultimately forcing her to euthanize the cat in August 2024.
According to the lawsuit, after Lombardi posted a profanity-laced comment publicly criticizing the Blue Angels when sharing a petition titled “We All Want to Feel Safe: No More Blue Angels Over Seattle” on the team’s official Instagram account, she alleged that she was blocked from the account, preventing her from engaging with its content or participating in public discussions.
“She was prevented from commenting, receiving information, or participating in public discussions on the page,” the lawsuit states. “This action violates her First Amendment rights by suppressing criticism of government conduct.”
The complaint seeks a court order requiring the Navy to unblock her account and prohibit the Blue Angels from blocking others based on viewpoint. Lombardi is also asking the court to mandate First Amendment training for the Navy’s social media managers and to award her legal fees.
Lombardi’s lawsuit cites a study alleging that over 74,000 residents in the Puget Sound region are regularly subjected to aircraft noise levels that could impact their health.
The complaint also claims that jet noise affects more than just humans and household pets, alleging it disrupts marine wildlife, including endangered orca populations in the region.
The US Navy has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. The Blue Angels are scheduled to perform again over Seattle in early August as part of the 2025 Seafair celebration.
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