Elderly Seattle Cat Suffers 'terror' From Blue Angels, Feline's Owner Says In Lawsuit

The last days of a Seattle feline were spent successful "terror" owed to Blue Angels combatant pilots, earlier squadron leaders blocked nan feline's quality mother connected societal media successful an enactment of "cowardly censorship," she said successful a suit revenge this week.

Layla was 14 erstwhile she died connected Aug. 11 past twelvemonth pursuing a conflict pinch bosom disease, which was allegedly exasperated by nan Blue Angels flying overheard days — and 1 twelvemonth — earlier, plaintiff Lauren Ann Lombardi said successful her national civilian complaint.

The Blue Angels are nan U.S. Navy’s formation objection squadron and person been performing aerobatic maneuvers crossed nan U.S. since 1946.

Lombardi had voiced her concerns astir nan effect of Blue Angels flying complete Seattle successful 2023, telling disconnected nan squadron successful an expletive-laden tirade.

"Stop pinch your F----ing bullsh-- you are terrorizing my feline and each nan different animals and wildlife," Lombardi wrote to nan squadron via Instagram connected Aug. 3 past year. "Nobody gives a f--- astir your stupid small planes."

Layla.U.S. District Court Western District Of Washington At Seattle

Lombardi, a paralegal successful Seattle, was past allegedly blocked a short clip later.

She tried to nonstop connection nan Blue Angels pinch a one-word response, "cowards" connected Aug. 5 past twelvemonth "which appeared to nonstop but was ne'er delivered owed to nan blocking," according to nan suit penned by nan lawyer Nacim Bouchtia, who is joined to Lombardi and was listed arsenic Layla's quality father successful nan feline's obituary.

When nan Blue Angels returned a twelvemonth later, Layla had conscionable travel location from nan animal infirmary and was successful nan throes of her last conflict pinch bosom disease, Lombardi said.

Even though Layla was heavy sedated, her "primitive limbic strategy overruled her medicine and she fled successful primal panic beneath furniture, her labored breathing escalating to clinically vulnerable levels," Bouchtia wrote.

Lombardi put heavy blankets successful windows and physically put her hands complete Layla's ears "to nary avail" arsenic nan cat's "walnut-sized brain" was stricken by "pure debilitating terror," nan suit said.

Lauren Lombardi embraces Layla during her last days.U.S. District Court Western District Of Washington At Seattle

While her quality didn't pin Layla's decease connected nan Navy, nan plaintiff lamented that nan precocious feline "died knowing only fearfulness erstwhile she should person known only love," Bouchtia wrote.

The crux of Layla's parents' suit stems from nan Blue Angels blocking Lombardi connected Instagram, which was still successful spot connected Thursday, according to nan attorney.

Whether nationalist officials aliases agencies tin artifact individuals connected societal media is still a alternatively unsettled ineligible question.

Lombardi's suit named Cdr. Adam Bryan, commanding serviceman of nan Blue Angels, and Lt. Ben Bushong, nan squadron's societal media administrator, arsenic defendants.

A typical of nan Blue Angels could not beryllium instantly reached for remark connected Thursday.

Lombardi is seeking to person nan artifact lifted, an bid that nan Blue Angels not barroom "anyone else" connected "the ground of viewpoint" and attorneys' fees.

Even without nan Lombardi and Bouchtia's dealings pinch nan Blue Angels pinch Layla, they did not look to beryllium fans of nan aviators.

They called their performances "auditory carpet bombing" pinch nan "subtlety of a subject occupation."

They described squad commanders arsenic "emotionally vulnerable snowflakes" who blocked nan plaintiff connected societal media, transforming "personal calamity into Constitutional treason."

"Layla was nan top feline that ever lived and her last days connected this Earth were pockmarked by debilitating panic brought connected my nan actions of nan United State Government," nan plaintiff said.

The Blue Angels are adjacent group to execute connected Aug. 2-3 astatine the Boeing Seafair Air Show successful Seattle.