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Metal shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell fell and damaged California Highway patrol vehicles as personnel in the US Marine Corps The base fired live rounds onto a highway, against government objections. Gavin Newsom – Observed by the Vice President during the weekend exercise JD VanceState officials said Sunday. No one was injured.
The incident occurred when the ordnance detonated prematurely during a Saturday exercise at Camp Pendleton, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.
Newsom had expressed strong objection to the firing of live ammunition on Interstate 5 due to safety concerns. Democrats closed a 17-mile (27 kilometer) stretch of the road connecting Los Angeles and San Diego during the exercise, which was held to mark the Marine Corps’ upcoming 250th birthday.
The highway patrol said the incident occurred in an area where authorities had closed down traffic.
A Marine Corps spokesperson said the service was aware of a “possible air detonation” of 155 mm artillery shells outside the exercise’s designated impact area.
“Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. There were no injuries and the demonstration proceeded as scheduled,” Capt. Gregory Dribelbis of the I Marine Expeditionary Force said in an emailed statement.
He said that investigation has been started.
“We are committed to finding the root cause of the event and implementing the findings in future missions,” Dreibelbeis said.
The Marine Corps said there was nothing unsafe in the exercise and that disrupting traffic on I-5 was unnecessary.
An incident report filed by the Highway Patrol stated that an officer heard what sounded like pebbles falling about 3 feet (91 cm) away from and around his motorcycle. There was no damage to his motorcycle. He found a 1 inch by 0.5 inch (2.5 cm by 1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel nearby.
An empty patrol vehicle was hit by shrapnel. Officers found a 2-inch by 0.5-inch (5 cm by 1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel on the vehicle. This left a small dent and scratch on the hood of the vehicle.
Officials said they notified the Marine Corps, which canceled additional live ordnance firing onto the freeway. Officials found no additional metal on the freeway lanes and reopened the road.
Newsom, a Democrat, posted a comment on the social media site X Sunday.
Newsom said, “We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the Vice President and the White House must not be so reckless with people’s lives for their wasteful projects.”
Vance, a Republican and Secretary of Defense pete hegseth Visited the base in northern San Diego County for the November 10 anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps and to watch soldiers demonstrate a beach assault. Vance spent four years in the Marines and toured in Iraq.