During a training exercise at Camp Pendleton, California, metal shrapnel fell from an exploding artillery shell and damaged a California Highway Patrol (CHP) vehicle. The incident occurred as personnel fired live ammunition over the freeway, despite objections from Governor Gavin Newsom. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident.
The event took place on Saturday, where officials noted that an overhead detonation of a 155 mm artillery round occurred outside the designated impact zone. Following this unexpected occurrence, the Marine Corps suspended further firing and assured that the exercise concluded safely.
Governor Newsom had expressed serious concerns regarding the safety of conducting such activities over Interstate 5, a significant route linking Los Angeles and San Diego. In an effort to ensure safety during the drills, he had previously ordered a 17-mile closure of the highway.
Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis of the I Marine Expeditionary Force stated, “Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended” and they are now actively investigating the cause of the airborne detonation. The Marine Corps reiterated their confidence in the safety measures in place and deemed disruption of traffic unnecessary.
On social media, Newsom tweeted, “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.”
The Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed that traffic was curtailed in the area and assured the public that they are committed to determining the root cause of the incident, stating findings would be used to enhance future missions.
