Journalists were detained at gunpoint at a U.S. Space Force base
At Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, security personnel briefly detained five journalists and two service members—who had arrived for an invited event—while holding them at gunpoint. According to local media, security personnel believed the individuals were attempting to enter the facility without authorization.
The incident occurred on Monday before a groundbreaking ceremony for a new training facility for missile operators. The event, held at a federal airfield near Santa Barbara, was by invitation only. Among those detained were journalists from Noozhawk and KEYT; representatives from KSBY-TV and the Santa Maria Times/Lompoc Record were also reportedly involved.
According to media reports, the journalists and military personnel were traveling in a convoy escorted to the base by uniformed public affairs personnel. At the entrance, participants were suddenly ordered to get out of their cars and raise their hands. Officers pointed their weapons at them, turned on sirens, and set up barricades near the gate.
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Two military personnel assigned to the base—an enlisted soldier and a junior officer—were handcuffed and placed in the base’s vehicles. The civilians were ordered to sit on the curb. The journalists were detained for over 30 minutes, causing them to miss the event. Subsequently, everyone was released without further incident.
A representative of Space Launch Delta 30 described the situation as a communication breakdown. A statement noted that there has been an increase in unauthorized entry attempts at the base, so any potentially unauthorized presence is considered a threat until proven otherwise. Noozhawk Editor-in-Chief Tom Bolton called the incident unfortunate, unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, as security guards drew their firearms.
