A guest at a Boston hotel was mistakenly detained during a federal training exercise Tuesday after participants went to the wrong room, the FBI said.
The incident unfolded about 10 p.m. during a Defense Department training exercise, the FBI said. The agency did not name the person who was accidentally detained.
The detained guest was a Delta pilot, a law enforcement source said.
“The wellbeing of our people is a responsibility we take seriously. Delta leaders are in regular contact with our pilot and we remain committed to providing support as needed,” Delta said in a statement.
A spokesperson with the Office of the Secretary of Defense said Thursday morning that the “DoD routinely conducts training exercises with law enforcement agencies.”
Lt. Col. Mike Burns of Army Special Operations Command issued a public apology in a statement Thursday.
“The training was meant to enhance soldiers’ skills to operate in realistic and unfamiliar environments," Burns said. "The training team, unfortunately, entered the wrong room and detained an individual unaffiliated with the exercise.”
Burns also noted that Boston police were called to the scene and that an incident report showed the exercise occurred at the Revere Hotel near the Boston Common.
“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,” they said.
The FBI said in its statement that no one was hurt.
It was not immediately clear how the mix-up happened or how long the guest was detained before trainees realized they had targeted the wrong room.
A Defense Department official said the department apologized to the guest.
The FBI said its Boston division was reviewing the incident with the Defense Department “for further action as deemed appropriate.”
“Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously,” the FBI said.