Santa Barbara, California - Five news reporters and two military service members were held at gunpoint by Space Force security officers while trying to attend an event at a base in California.
Those detained had been invited to an invitation-only event at the Space Force base, celebrating the groundbreaking of a new training facility on Monday. They were mistaken as gatecrashers.
The reporters, from Noozhawk, KEYT, KSBY-TV, and the Santa Maria Times, were arrested and held for more than 30 minutes. While they were all let go without further incident, the detention caused them to miss the event.
Two military service members were also arrested alongside the reporters. They had been part of a convoy escorted onto the base by uniformed public affairs staff.
Space Force security ordered them to exit a government minivan with their hands up. The reporters were then made to sit on the curb.
According to KEYT, the security officers pointed guns and sounded sirens. Barricades went up at the base's entrance and the two military members were handcuffed and placed inside base vehicles.
A Space Launch Delta 30 spokesperson described the incident as a breakdown in communication when providing a statement to Noozhawk.
"Vandenberg space force base is experiencing an increased number of unauthorized entry attempts," the spokesperson said.
"Every potential unauthorized presence must be treated as a legitimate threat until proven otherwise. While we recognize this may have been unsettling, the security of the base and its personnel is our priority."
Noozhawk's editor in chief was angered by the incident, but said that his publication respects "the military's need to provide security for the base."
"But clearly what occurred was unfortunate and unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, as firearms were drawn," Bolton said.
"It appears some members of the Vandenberg security team are seriously in need of additional training."