Invited reporters, military members under escort held at gunpoint at Vandenberg Space Force Base

Five news reporters and a couple of military members were mistaken for a security threat and briefly held at gunpoint by security police at Vanderberg Space Force Base in California on Monday. 

The group was traveling to an invited ceremony marking construction for a new training program. They were led by a government minivan with uniformed public affairs staff as escorts, according to Noozhawk. The convoy included private vehicles carrying news media.

The convoy was stopped at the main gate and was waiting to proceed when one of the security officers raised concern about "gate runners." This triggered multiple members of the 30th Security Forces Squadron to raise the barricades, point firearms at the vehicles in the convoy, and demand drivers and passengers exit with their hands up. 

The two military members were handcuffed, while civilians were told to sit on the curb. 

A Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs spokesperson told Noozhawk that the base has experienced an increased number of unauthorized entry attempts, and there was a "breakdown in communication." 

“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 spokesperson said.