Artillery Shell Detonated Over Interstate 5 During Marines' Celebration, California Officials Say [View all]

Source: NYT

A 155-millimeter shell fired during a live-fire demonstration for the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton on Saturday prematurely detonated, dropping fragments of the shell on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and motorcycle that were part of Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail, according to a patrol report.

No officers were hurt in the mishap, which dropped shrapnel onto the vehicles parked on a ramp to a major freeway that had been ordered closed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor had objected to the plan to fire over the freeway, Interstate 5, and ordered a 17-mile stretch closed — against the guidance of military officials, who had said it was safe for it to remain open.

According to the patrol report, one officer described what sounded like pebbles hitting his motorcycle and the area around him, and two others saw a two-inch piece of shrapnel hit the hood of their patrol vehicle, leaving a small dent. The report says shrapnel was also found on the road near the motorcycle.

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The exercise — which the report said was expected to include the firing of approximately 60 155-millimeter shells — was terminated after the round prematurely exploded, the patrol said. Patrol officers cleared the interstate of shell fragments before the highway was declared safe and reopened to vehicular traffic at 2:20 p.m.

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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/us/politics/shell-interstate-5-marines-california.html

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The artillery round had been fired at 1:46, just 16 minutes after the exercise had been scheduled to start (though I don't know if it had started on time).

Editing to add that an active-duty Marine officer and a former officer told the NYT that the only such training exercises they'd ever seen had been EAST of the interstate, on approved artillery ranges.