Prosecutors pursue charges after drone flies into packed Lumen Field during Seahawks parade
Feb 18, 2026, 8:25 AM
A photo of Seattle Seahawks' fans celebrating the Super Bowl win at Lumen Field before the parade kicked off Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Prosecutors are pursuing pressing charges after someone flew a drone into a packed Lumen Field during last week’s Seahawks parade.
According to KOMO News, a joint state and federal team spotted more than 30 unauthorized drones during the celebration. The King County Sheriff’s Office stopped eight of these drones and contacted seven of the pilots.
Most pilots who were contacted landed their drones after receiving a warning, but one pilot flew their drone into the stadium, despite the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricting that specific airspace. The King County Sheriff’s Office is now seeking reckless endangerment charges, while federal authorities are pursuing criminal charges and fines.
During the Seattle Seahawks’ championship-winning season, drones were prohibited from being within three miles of Lumen Field from one hour before kickoff until one hour after the game ended.
“FAA encourages the public to report unauthorized drone operations to local law enforcement and to help discourage this dangerous, illegal activity,” the FAA stated in January. “Drone operators who enter restricted airspace around stadiums could face civil penalties up to $75,000.”
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National Guard rehearses stopping drone attacks for World Cup
The Washington National Guard used Lumen Field last November to simulate drone attacks in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The exercise was part of the Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Summit, led by Major General Gent Welsh, Washington’s adjutant general and homeland security adviser. According to Welsh, the findings of the 9/11 Commission Report motivated the organization of the summit.
“If you think about where the world was on Sept. 10, we are at a very similar place,” Welsh said in a release. “[That] report talked about red flags that popped up prior to 9/11, and now we have seen what is happening across the globe with drones and need to be ready.”
Next year’s FIFA World Cup will be held in 11 major U.S. cities — Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and, of course, Seattle.
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