Reporters Detained at Vandenberg Space Force Base by Mistake

On Monday, security officers at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California mistakenly detained five news reporters and two military members at gunpoint. This incident occurred just before a restricted groundbreaking event for a missile operators’ training facility near Santa Barbara.

Journalists from outlets like Noozhawk and KEYT were among those held. Articles were subsequently published by these outlets discussing the incident. A spokesperson from Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs attributed the incident to a communication breakdown. The spokesperson highlighted the increase in unauthorized entry attempts and reiterated the need to treat any potential threat seriously.

The detained group was traveling in a government minivan, escorted by uniformed public affairs staff, when they were ordered to exit the vehicle with hands raised. Officers pointed guns, barricades were set, and sirens sounded at the base gate, as reported by KEYT.

The two military personnel—one enlisted and one a junior officer—were handcuffed and taken to base vehicles. Civilians, including reporters from KSBY-TV and the Santa Maria Times/Lompoc Record, were instructed to sit on a curb. They were detained for more than 30 minutes, resulting in them missing the event. All were eventually released without further incident.

Tom Bolton, editor-in-chief of Noozhawk, commented on the situation, acknowledging the necessity of base security but describing the event as unfortunate and potentially hazardous due to the use of firearms. He expressed his intention to discuss the incident with base leadership to prevent future occurrences.