California police say shrapnel hits and damages a patrol vehicle during Marine Corps drills

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Metal shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell fell hit and damaged a California Highway Patrol vehicle as personnel at a U.S. Marine Corps base fired live rounds over a highway — against the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom — during weekend exercises observed by Vice President JD Vance, state authorities said Sunday. No one was injured.

The incident occurred when ordnance detonated overhead prematurely during Saturday's exercise at Camp Pendleton, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.

Newsom had strongly objected to the firing of munitions over Interstate 5 for safety reasons. The Democrat closed a 17-mile (27 kilometers) stretch of the road connecting Los Angeles and San Diego during the drills, which were held to mark the upcoming 250th birthday of the Marine Corps.

The incident occurred in an area where officers had shut down traffic, the highway patrol said.

A Marine Corps spokesperson said the service was aware of “a possible airborne detonation” of a 155 mm artillery round outside the exercise's designated impact area.

“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 said in an emailed statement.

An investigation has been initiated, he said.

“We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions,” Dreibelbis said.

The Marine Corps had said there was nothing unsafe about the exercise and that it was unnecessary to disrupt traffic on I-5.

An incident report filed by the highway patrol said one officer heard what sounded like pebbles falling on his motorcycle and about 3 feet (91 centimeters) around him. His motorcycle was not damaged. He found a 1 inch-by-0.5 inch (2.5 cm-by-1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel nearby.

One unoccupied 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. It left a small dent and scratch on the vehicle's hood.

Officers said they notified the Marine Corps, which then canceled the firing of additional live ordnance over the freeway. Officers didn't find any additional metal on freeway lanes and reopened the road.

Newsom, a Democrat, posted a comment on the social media site X 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 vanity projects,” Newsom said.

Vance, a Republican, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the base in north San Diego County for the Nov. 10 anniversary of the Marine Corps' founding and to watch troops demonstrate a beach assault. Vance spent four years in the Marines and served a tour in Iraq.