Invited media and military members held at gunpoint at Space Force base in California

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — Five reporters and two military personnel, invited to an event at the California base, were briefly detained at gunpoint by security officers who mistook them for intruders. Local news outlets reported the incident, which occurred on Monday prior to an exclusive event marking the start of construction for a new missile operator training facility.

Noozhawk and KEYT journalists were among those detained, with the outlets later publishing accounts of the event. A Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs spokesperson revealed that the base's safety procedures would undergo a review. The spokesperson emphasized that the journalists were invited to the facility, and the installation commander has requested a thorough examination of the media coordination protocols.

The incident transpired when the group, traveling in a convoy escorted by uniformed personnel in a government minivan, was hurriedly removed from their vehicles with hands raised, barricades erected, sirens sounded, and officers pointing firearms. The military personnel assigned to the base were handcuffed and placed in base vehicles, whereas the civilian journalists were instructed to sit on a curb.

The reporters, covering various outlets including KSBY-TV and the Santa Maria Times/Lompoc Record, remained held for over 30 minutes, causing them to miss the event. Despite the distressing situation, all individuals were released unharmed. Noozhawk editor-in-chief Tom Bolton expressed regret over the incident, stating that the use of firearms was unnecessary and potentially hazardous.

Bolton further indicated that he intended to meet with base leadership in the coming days to discuss the occurrence and explore ways to prevent similar incidents in the future.