Hearing Gunfire At Anaheim Bay? This Is Why

SEAL BEACH, CA — Navy officials say they're conducting security drills at Anaheim Bay this week and are alerting residents that they may hear the sound of machine gun fire due to the training exercise.

The station has been around since 1944 and serves as a base to load and unload Navy ships with ammunition at the Anaheim Bay pier, Seal Beach's Naval Weapons Station Public Affairs Officer Gregory Smith said.

"We are always looking for opportunities to keep our operations at the highest levels," Smith said. "This one is to practice protecting the harbor from an attack of an outside entity."

The drill will have one boat play the role of an adversary attempting to get within the outside perimeter of the waterfront, Smith said. Meanwhile, Smith said, there will be a few security vessels trying to prevent that.

The security vessels will be mounted with machine guns that will fire blank ammunition at the adversary boat, Smith said.

Though the Naval Station will run an "aggressive" campaign to warn residents about the training drill, according to Smith, there may still be some people curious about where the sound of gunfire is coming from. The gunfire, from a distance, can sound like an actual weapon is being used, according to a statement from Navy officials.

The public boat channel through Anaheim Bay will remain open during this time, Navy officials said.