Reporters and military members held at gunpoint at Space Force base in California

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Security officers at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California briefly held five news reporters and two members of the military at gunpoint after mistaking the invited attendees for gatecrashers, according to local news outlets.

The Monday incident took place prior to a private groundbreaking ceremony for a missile operator training facility at the federal airfield close to Santa Barbara. Journalists working for Noozhawk and KEYT were among those detained, with both organizations publishing accounts of what happened.

A spokesperson for Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs told Noozhawk that the encounter stemmed from a communication failure.

Officers pointed guns, sirens were sounded, and barricades went up at the gate entrance, KEYT reported (Matt Hartman via AP)

“Vandenberg Space Force Base is experiencing an increased number of unauthorized entry attempts,” the statement said. “When media entered the installation, there was a breakdown in communication and movement continued prior to verification.

“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.”

The reporters and military members were part of a convoy being escorted onto the base by uniformed public affairs staff in a government minivan when they were suddenly ordered out of their vehicles with their hands up, according to news reports.

Officers pointed guns, sirens were sounded, and barricades went up at the gate entrance, KEYT reported.

The two military members assigned to the base — one enlisted and one a junior officer — were handcuffed and placed in base vehicles, while the civilians were ordered to sit on a curb, Noozhawk reported.

The reporters for outlets, including KSBY-TV and the Santa Maria Times/Lompoc Record, were held for more than 30 minutes, causing them to miss the event. All were let go without further incident.

“We respect the military’s need to provide security for the base,” Tom Bolton, Noozhawk’s editor-in-chief, said in a statement Wednesday. “But clearly what occurred was unfortunate and unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, as firearms were drawn.”

Bolton said he hopes to have a conversation with base leadership later this week to review what happened in the hopes of preventing a similar occurrence in the future.

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