A lawsuit filed this week by Lauren Ann Lombardi claims that the noise from Blue Angels fighter jets caused her cat’s final days to be filled with terror. The plaintiff alleges that her cat, Layla, experienced significant distress during the squadron’s flyovers in Seattle, contributing to her suffering from pre-existing heart disease before she passed away at the age of 14 on August 11, 2022.
The Blue Angels, known for their high-speed aerial demonstrations since 1946, have become a subject of contention in Lombardi’s case. In an emotional Instagram post on August 3, 2022, Lombardi vented her frustrations about the impact of the flyovers, saying, “Stop with your F——g bull—- you are terrorizing my cat and all the other animals and wildlife. Nobody gives a f— about your stupid little planes.”
Following this message, Lombardi claims she was blocked by the Blue Angels on social media shortly thereafter. In a subsequent attempt to communicate her anger, she sent a one-word message that read “cowards,” which remained undelivered because of the block.
As their legal complaint unfolds, Lombardi recalls the heart-wrenching moment when the Blue Angels returned to Seattle a year later. Layla had just returned from an animal hospital and was nearing the end of her battle with heart disease, heavily sedated yet still terrorized by the plane noise overhead.
According to Lombardi’s attorney, Nacim Bouchtia, despite the sedation, the cat was unable to escape the primal fear triggered by the flyovers. In her panic, Layla tried to hide beneath furniture, exhibiting signs of escalating distress.
Lombardi made desperate attempts to comfort her feline companion, putting thick blankets on the windows and covering Layla’s ears, but nothing seemed to alleviate the cat’s anxiety. Bouchtia described this moment, stating that Layla’s “primitive limbic system overruled her medication,” leading to a reaction that he labeled as causing “pure debilitating terror.”
While Lombardi does not attribute Layla’s death directly to the Blue Angels, she expressed sorrow that her beloved pet was left knowing only fear in her final days. Bouchtia lamented that Layla “should have known only love,” implying that the Blue Angels’ actions brought undue suffering.
The basis for Lombardi’s legal action rests significantly on the blocking of her social media posts. The lawsuit questions the rights of public officials to block individuals based on their viewpoints, an issue that remains legally unresolved in many contexts.
In the complaint, Lombardi named Cmdr. Adam Bryan and Lt. Ben Bushong as defendants for their roles in managing the Blue Angels’ social media accounts. The lawsuit demands that the block on Lombardi’s account be lifted, that the Blue Angels not restrict others in a similar manner, and seeks to cover attorney fees.
Lombardi and Bouchtia have not held back in expressing their disdain for the Blue Angels, calling the team’s performances “auditory carpet bombing” and accusing squadron leaders of blocking Lombardi as an act of censorship that turned personal tragedy into what they termed “Constitutional treason.”
In closing, Lombardi honored Layla, stating, “Layla was the greatest cat that ever lived and her final days on this Earth were pockmarked by debilitating terror brought on by the actions of the United States Government.”
Despite the announcement of the lawsuit, a representative from the Blue Angels has yet to comment.
image source from：nbcnews
