25 October 2024

A drone literally crashed the party at the TNT-hosted, American Express Road Show celebrating the championship of the Boston Celtics basketball team.

After the pre-game watch party at City Hall Plaza, the players received their championship rings and watched as the "18th Championship" banner for the franchise was raised at TD Garden.

Unfortunately, around 8 pm on Tuesday, October 22, a drone piloted by a CNN employee impacted a light pole as the operator attempted to fly between two trees, with the result being the damaged drone fell into the crowd. At the time of the crash, the CNN pilot was filming a stage performance by country artist Shaboozey. The pilot presented Boston police with his FAA Part 107 license after the incident, and the damaged drone—a DJI Mavic 3—was returned by officers to CNN’s vice president of tech operations.

The FAA is investigating.

However, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn criticized the media and event staff for a "lack of accountability."

“As a city that takes pride in its public safety—especially for large events such as this—the disregard for the welfare of attendees is unacceptable,” Flynn posted on X. “We need to ensure any and all media outlets or vendors using city property adhere to strict safety guidelines and that all equipment is used responsibly. This event, hosted by TNT, was anticipated by the people of Boston and Celtics fans to gather and celebrate hoisting Banner 18 on opening night. However, this incident has unfortunately left many unnerved and disappointed. The city must implement stricter regulations and oversight to prevent future occurrences.”

It was reported by police that one fan's hand was injured and the individual declined further medical attantion after receiving treatment at the scene. Another fan, citing pain to her head, neck, and left shoulder, was taken to the hospital. WBZ-TV reports mentioned a third fan was affected, but neither the person, nor the extent of the injuries, was known.

TNT Sports also issued a statement: “Unfortunately, there was an incident involving a drone and fans attending last night’s event. On-site medical and safety personnel immediately attended to the situation. We are currently investigating further and wish all involved well.”