Green Day abruptly exited the stage this week during its concert in Detroit, and now authorities are investigating the man they say caused the interruption.
The incident occurred during the band’s performance of their song “Longview.” The show resumed 10 minutes later without an explanation.
Detroit police later confirmed the interruption was the result of a man flying an unauthorized drone into Comerica Park.
“We’re gonna pick up where we left off,” frontman Billie Joe Armstrong told the crowd when the band returned to the stage, then asked attendees to put away their cellphones.
Once the show wrapped, Green Day shared a message to social media apologizing for the unexpected delay.
“Stadium security had us clear the stage while they dealt with a potential safety issue,” the since-deleted statement read. “DPD quickly resolved the situation, and we were able to continue. Thanks for understanding.”
The drone pilot was questioned but not arrested, Detroit Police Sgt. Daron Zhou told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday. The case has since been handed over to the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, which investigates all reports of potentially hazardous drone operations.
A spokesperson for the agency said that while it does not have the power to pursue criminal charges, “drone operators who endanger other aircraft or people on the ground” can face fines exceeding $30,000. In addition, the FAA can suspend or revoke drone operators’ pilot certificates.
Green Day’s Saviors tour, with the same title as the group’s 14th studio album, is celebrating the 20th and 30th anniversaries of its landmark albums “American Idiot” and “Dookie,” respectively. The band is playing both albums in their entirety on each date of the tour.
The tour is scheduled to land at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Sept. 14 with special guests the Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas.
