Shrapnel from artillery rounds fired by the U.S. Marine Corps throughout a celebration in entrance of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth detonated prematurely and struck a patrol automobile, the California Freeway Patrol mentioned.
The artillery rounds had been fired over Interstate 5 close to Camp Pendleton in San Diego County as a part of a army demonstration for the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary.
The reside hearth demonstration additionally coincided with “No Kings” protests in opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration that had been occurring round Southern California and throughout the nation.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the USA Marine Corps 250th birthday celebration at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on October 18, 2025 in Oceanside, California. The U.S. Marines are marking their 250th anniversary with a reside amphibious assault demonstration entitled “Sea To Shore–A Assessment of Amphibious Power” and visits from Vice President JD Vance and Struggle Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Mario Tama/Getty Photographs
A 17-mile stretch of the busy freeway that connects Los Angeles to San Diego was shut down in the course of the occasion by the California Freeway Patrol. The stretch of freeway is often utilized by over 80,000 individuals daily, in line with the company.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s workplace mentioned it was notified by the federal authorities Saturday morning that the army deliberate to shoot reside artillery over the closely traveled freeway, prompting freeway patrol officers to quickly shut the freeway.
Final week, the army mentioned that mortar rounds wouldn’t be fired over the freeway and mentioned no freeways or roads could be impacted by the occasion. Navy officers mentioned all actions could be strictly confined to coaching fields at Camp Pendleton and wouldn’t impression public areas.
However on Saturday morning, the federal authorities requested that the state change digital freeway indicators to learn “LIVE WEAPONS OVER FREEWAY,” in line with the California Freeway Patrol.
U.S. Navy Touchdown Craft Air Cushion’s (LCAC) unload tools onto the seashore as U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Tremendous Stallions fly overhead in the course of the America’s Marines 250 occasion at Camp Pendleton’s Pink Seashore on October 18, 2025 in Oceanside, California. The U.S. Marines are marking their 250th anniversary with a reside amphibious assault demonstration entitled “Sea To Shore–A Assessment of Amphibious Power” and visits from Vice President JD Vance and Struggle Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Mario Tama/Getty Photographs
Freeway indicators throughout Southern California warned drivers that reside hearth was within the neighborhood of the freeway round Camp Pendleton.
ABC Information has reached out to the Marine Corps, Camp Pendleton and the Trump administration for a remark.
For hours on Saturday, drivers in Southern California had been caught in gridlock on the freeway or needed to take prolonged detours.
Throughout that point, shrapnel allegedly rained down on the freeway within the closure zone, in line with CHP.
Shrapnel from artillery rounds fired by the U.S. Marine Corps throughout a celebration in entrance of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth detonated prematurely and struck a patrol automobile, the California Freeway Patrol mentioned.
California Freeway Patrol
In a police report obtained by ABC Information, CHP says a patrol SUV was struck with shrapnel. That SUV had “an approximate two-inch by half-inch piece of shrapnel on the hood of the patrol car,” in line with the report.
The company says within the report that the shrapnel made a dent within the hood.
Moreover, patrol officers acknowledged an officer working the freeway closure heard “what seemed like ‘pebbles’ falling on his CHP BMW motorbike.”
Shrapnel from artillery rounds fired by the U.S. Marine Corps throughout a celebration in entrance of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth detonated prematurely and struck a patrol automobile, the California Freeway Patrol mentioned.
California Freeway Patrol
CHP says it instantly alerted the Marine Corps {that a} mortar spherical didn’t clear Interstate 5 and that shrapnel was falling across the freeway. At that time, the Marine Corps, in line with the CHP, instantly cancelled firing further reside ordinance over the freeway.
A security sweep was carried out on the freeway to search for extra shrapnel, however none was discovered.
Camp Pendleton officers advised Fox Information Digital that an investigation has been initiated to find out the incident’s root trigger. “The demonstration went by means of a rigorous security analysis, and deliberate layers of redundancy, to make sure the protection of fellow residents,” the assertion to Fox reads partially.
In response to the obvious untimely detonation and the firing of ordnances over the freeway, Newsom wrote on X on Sunday, “We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, however subsequent time, the Vice President and the White Home shouldn’t be so reckless with individuals’s lives for his or her self-importance initiatives.”
The California Freeway Patrol mentioned it’s requesting an after-action overview with the federal authorities to debate public security.
