U.S. soldiers entered the wrong room during a training exercise at a Boston hotel Tuesday night, mistakenly detaining and interrogating a man who had no idea what was going on, authorities said.
The Defense Department was attempting to simulate an investigation scenario with the assistance of the FBI, but personnel were sent to the wrong room around 10 p.m., according to FBI spokesperson Kristen Setera.
The hotel guest, a Delta Air Lines pilot, was woken up, handcuffed and interrogated in the bathroom for approximately 30 minutes until the mistake became clear, local stations WCVB and WBZ-TV reported, citing unidentified sources. WBZ reported that federal agents were among the personnel involved in the incident.
The Boston Police Department confirmed that they responded to the downtown Revere Hotel at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a radio call. Upon arrival, officers were met by law enforcement agents who were conducting a training exercise inside the building, according to a police incident report.
Spc. ShaTyra Reed/USASOC/DVIDS
No one was injured, said Setera, who noted that the Boston Police Department was called to confirm that this was indeed a training exercise.
“First and foremost, we’d like to extend our deepest apologies to the individual who was affected by the training exercise,” said Lt. Col. Mike Burns, director of public affairs for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, whose soldiers were conducting the exercise.
“The training was meant to enhance soldiers’ skills to operate in realistic and unfamiliar environments. The training team, unfortunately, entered the wrong room and detained an individual unaffiliated with the exercise,” Burns said in a statement.
It’s not clear why a training exercise was being carried out at the hotel while guests were present. The hotel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Special Operations Command, which consists of 33,000 personnel, “mans, trains, equips, educates, organizes, sustains, and supports forces” in special operations, according to the Army’s website.
A Delta representative told JS that the company is looking into the incident and the reports of a Delta employee’s involvement.
“We have nothing further to share at this time other than to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our people,” the representative said.