U.S. Marine Corps officials said they would investigate after shrapnel from live artillery fired during weekend military exercises at its San Diego base fell on Interstate 5 in California and damaged a state patrol vehicle.
Gov. Gavin Newsom had strongly objected to the White House plan for Marines to launch live ammunition from Camp Pendleton for the benefit of Vice President JD Vance, who was there observing the drills in honor of the corps’ 250th anniversary, which falls on Nov. 10. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also reportedly attended.
No one was hurt when the artillery “detonated overhead prematurely” on Saturday “during an exceptional U.S. Marine Corps live-fire training demonstration over the freeway,” the California Highway Patrol said in a statement. The Marine Corps immediately canceled its plan to fire even more live ordnance over the freeway, and investigators surveyed the damage.
One officer said he heard the sound of “pebbles” raining onto and around his motorcycle in a 3-foot radius, according to CHP’s incident report, though the vehicle was not damaged. Nearby he found a 1-by 0.5-inch shred of shrapnel. An unoccupied patrol vehicle was directly hit by a 2-by-0.5-inch piece of shrapnel that dented and scratched the vehicle’s hood.
CHP
A California Highway Patrol vehicle was directly hit by a piece of shrapnel. (CHP)
The Marine Corps had insisted beforehand that firing the artillery was safe. After the inciden,t a Marine official said they would investigate.
“Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. No injuries occurred and the demonstration concluded as scheduled,” Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis of the I Marine Expeditionary Force told The Associated Press in a statement. “We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions.”
The White House had dismissed Newsom’s safety concerns as political grandstanding when the governor closed a 17-mile stretch of I-5, the main artery between San Diego and Los Angeles, during the exercises. The shrapnel fell in the closed-off area being guarded by the affected vehicles.
“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said in the CHP statement. “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway. As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”
Newsom on Sunday posted a photo of what he said was the artillery used, calling it “no small thing.”
The shrapnel that hit CHP vehicles over the weekend from Trump and Vance’s military live-munitions demonstration came from this ordnance.
It’s no small thing.
This is what the White House thought was fine to fly over civilians on a major freeway. Thankfully, the Governor… pic.twitter.com/HkYnq0EwEc
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 20, 2025
The CHP said further study was essential to assess coordination and communication between federal, state and local officials “to strengthen protocols for future demonstrations and training events near public roadways.”
With News Wire Services
