Artillery shell exploded prematurely over California freeway during marines celebration | California

A live artillery shell prematurely exploded while raining shrapnel on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and a motorcycle that was part of J.D. Vance during a Marines’ live-fire demonstration launched on a Southern California highway to celebrate the military’s 250th anniversary, according to a police report.

The New York Times reported that fragments from the 155mm shell landed on vehicles parked on the ramp on Interstate 5, the main artery in Southern California, which Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered closed after learning that military officials had no plans to close the highway.

Vance, a Republican and former Marine who served in Iraq, visited the base in northern San Diego County with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary and watched troops put on a beach assault demonstration of amphibious vehicles and Marines.

According to the patrol report, an officer described hearing what sounded like pebbles hitting his motorcycle and the surrounding area. Others saw a 2-inch (5 cm) piece of shrapnel hit the hood of the patrol vehicle, leaving a small dent. The report stated that shrapnel pieces were also found on the road near the motorcycle.

CHP made a surprise announcement early on Saturday morning, closing a 27 km section of the highway before and during the Saturday drill. The last-minute closure caused significant traffic delays Saturday morning and afternoon.

CHP said that the exercise was canceled after the bullet exploded prematurely and the area was scanned for bullet fragments, but they were not found. A Marine Corps spokesman at Camp Pendleton told the New York Times that the service was aware of the CHP report and that an investigation was ongoing.

Newsom was vehemently opposed to what he called “.absurd show of force” and “totally uncalled for.”

“The president is putting his ego ahead of responsibility by ignoring public safety,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Firing live rounds on a crowded highway is not only wrong, it is dangerous. Using our military to intimidate people you disagree with is not forceful; it is reckless, disrespectful, and unbecoming of the office he holds.”

U.S. Marine officials had said there was no unsafe situation at the exercise at Camp Pendleton, where artillery fire was a routine occurrence, and that disrupting traffic on I5, the main Pacific coast highway between San Diego and Los Angeles, was unnecessary.

“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” California Highway Patrol division chief Tony Coronado said of Saturday’s incident. “It is extremely rare for any live fire or explosive training activity to occur on an active highway. As a Marine myself, I have great respect for our military partners, but my most important responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”

State transportation officials decided to close the highway after practice shootings took place Friday evening and event organizers requested signs along the road that read “fire continues above.”

“This is all because of a military incident directed by the White House, we need to close the highway for the safety of the public because they are sending live orders over the highway,” said Matt Rocco, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation.

The I5 closure caused significant backups for those traveling between San Diego and Los Angeles. According to the governor’s office, the highway carries 80,000 passengers and $94 million worth of freight through the corridor per day. Passenger railway services running parallel to I5 were also canceled in the afternoon.

Rep. Darrell Issa, who represents a district east of the base, called it a “bad publicity stunt” by Newsom.

Vance spokesman William Martin told the New York Times on Saturday that Newsom misled the public about the security risk.

“If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose the training exercises that enable our Armed Forces to be the deadliest, most lethal fighting force in the world, then he can go ahead,” Martin said.

Newsom sent On social media Sunday: “We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time the Vice President and the White House shouldn’t be so reckless with people’s lives for their own vanity projects.”