LOS ANGELES (NewsNation Now) — Super Bowl LVI kick-off is less than two weeks away, and security enforcement is picking up outside of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, as stadium security is already feeling the pressure following a fan attack last weekend.
Security will be led by the local agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with federal partners such as the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Federal Aviation Administration has designated the Los Angeles area a ‘No Drone Zone’ for the Super Bowl, prohibiting drones within a 30-nautical-mile radius of the stadium up to 18,000 feet in altitude from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PST on February 13, 2022.
Drone operators who enter the restricted flight area without permission could face drone confiscation, civil penalties that exceed $30,000 and potential criminal prosecution, the agency said.
Meanwhile, stadium security is under intense scrutiny after a San Francisco 49ers fan was placed in a medically induced coma after being punched during a parking lot confrontation with an apparent Rams fan at the NFC Championship game, the mayor of Inglewood said Thursday.
Daniel Luna, 40, remained hospitalized after Sunday’s fight while police sought his attacker based on a blurry video and the license plate of a car, Mayor James T. Butts Jr. said at a news conference.
Because he still had his watch, wallet and cellphone on him, police don’t think robbery was the motive.
“We are aware and saddened by the incident. Our thoughts are with Mr. Luna’s friends and family during this difficult time. We are working with law enforcement officials in their investigation,” said in a statement to NewsNation.
The mayor said the video isn’t clear enough to provide a description of the suspect, but he was seen talking to some people in a car. Police want to find the car and talk to the occupants to see if they were involved, Butts said.
This incident is similar to one in 2011, where a San Francisco Giants fan was beaten and left with severe brain damage at a Dodgers game. Two men were convicted and sentenced to prison for that assault.