Kathrine Frich
Even the most carefully planned military ceremonies can take a dangerous turn.
During a live-fire demonstration marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, a shell explosion near Vice President J.D. Vance’s motorcade prompted alarm.
Sudden explosion
The incident occurred Saturday at Camp Pendleton, California, when a 155-millimeter artillery shell detonated prematurely during the event.
Shrapnel struck vehicles belonging to the vice president’s security escort, including a California Highway Patrol car and a motorcycle.
No one was injured, but small metal fragments landed on nearby vehicles parked along a closed stretch of Interstate 5, the major highway between Los Angeles and San Diego.
The live-fire exercise, which involved around 60 rounds, was immediately halted.
Governor’s warning ignored
California Governor Gavin Newsom had ordered the temporary closure of a 20-mile section of the highway, citing safety concerns over the Marine Corps’ plan to fire live shells across it.
Military officials had advised that the firing range was safe and that closing the road was unnecessary.
Following the incident, Newsom criticized the decision to proceed.
“We love the Marines and we are grateful to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the vice president and the White House should not be so reckless with people’s lives for their vanity projects,” he told The New York Times.
Investigation underway
Lt. Col. Lindsay Pirek, a spokesperson for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, confirmed that investigators are working to determine the cause of the premature detonation.
“We are committed to determining the root cause of the incident and applying the findings to future missions,” she said.
Experts quoted by The New York Times described the decision to fire over a public highway as highly unusual.
One active-duty Marine suggested that the likely cause was a faulty projectile warhead, a mechanical or electronic defect that triggered an early explosion.
Rare but serious
Such accidents are considered extremely rare in military exercises.
Marines had successfully conducted a rehearsal firing the night before without incident.
The highway was cleared of debris and reopened after being declared safe.
The demonstration, attended by Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was meant to display the Corps’ historic legacy, but instead ended up revealing the risks of combining military spectacle with live munitions.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
