Shrapnel from weapons rounds discharged by the united state Marine Corps throughout a party before Vice Head of state JD Vance and Assistant of Battle Pete Hegseth detonated too soon and struck a police car, the California Freeway Patrol claimed.
The weapons rounds were discharged over Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton in San Diego Region as component of an army demo for the Marine Corps’ 250th wedding anniversary.
The real-time fire demo likewise accompanied “No Kings” objections versus Head of state Donald Trump and his management that were taking place around Southern The golden state and throughout the nation.

United State Vice Head of state JD Vance talks at the USA Marine Corps 250th birthday event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on October 18, 2025 in Oceanside, The golden state. The united state Militaries are noting their 250th wedding anniversary with a real-time aquatic attack demo qualified “Sea To Coast– An Evaluation of Amphibious Stamina” and check outs from Vice Head of state JD Vance and Battle Assistant Pete Hegseth.
Mario Tama/Getty Pictures
A 17-mile stretch of the active highway that links Los Angeles to San Diego was closed down throughout the occasion by the California Freeway Patrol. The stretch of highway is commonly made use of by over 80,000 individuals daily, according to the firm.
The Golden State Gov. Gavin Newsom’s workplace claimed it was alerted by the federal government Saturday early morning that the armed forces prepared to fire real-time weapons over the greatly taken a trip highway, triggering freeway patrol policemans to momentarily shut the highway.
Recently, the armed force claimed that mortar rounds would certainly not be discharged over the highway and claimed no highways or roadways would certainly be influenced by the occasion. Armed forces authorities claimed all tasks would certainly be purely constrained to training areas at Camp Pendleton and would certainly not influence public locations.
Yet on Saturday early morning, the federal government asked for that the state adjustment digital freeway indications to review “LIVE TOOLS OVER HIGHWAY,” according to the California Freeway Patrol.

United State Navy Touchdown Craft Air Padding’s (LCAC) discharge tools onto the coastline as united state Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions fly overhanging throughout the America’s Militaries 250 occasion at Camp Pendleton’s Red Coastline on October 18, 2025 in Oceanside, The golden state. The united state Militaries are noting their 250th wedding anniversary with a real-time aquatic attack demo qualified “Sea To Coast– An Evaluation of Amphibious Stamina” and check outs from Vice Head of state JD Vance and Battle Assistant Pete Hegseth.
Mario Tama/Getty Pictures
Highway indications around Southern The golden state alerted chauffeurs that live fire remained in the area of the highway around Camp Pendleton.
ABC Information has actually connected to the Marine Corps, Camp Pendleton and the Trump management for a remark.
For hours on Saturday, chauffeurs in Southern The golden state were embeded gridlock on the highway or needed to take prolonged detours.
Throughout that time, shrapnel supposedly drizzled down on the highway in the closure area, according to CHP.

Shrapnel from weapons rounds discharged by the united state Marine Corps throughout a party before Vice Head of state JD Vance and Assistant of Battle Pete Hegseth detonated too soon and struck a police car, the California Freeway Patrol claimed.
The Golden State Freeway Patrol
In an authorities record acquired by ABC Information, CHP states a patrol SUV was struck with shrapnel. That SUV had “an approximate two-inch by half-inch item of shrapnel on the hood of the patrol lorry,” according to the record.
The firm states in the record that the shrapnel made a damage in the hood.
Furthermore, patrol policemans specified a policeman functioning the highway closure listened to “what seemed like ‘stones’ dropping on his CHP BMW motorbike.”

Shrapnel from weapons rounds discharged by the united state Marine Corps throughout a party before Vice Head of state JD Vance and Assistant of Battle Pete Hegseth detonated too soon and struck a police car, the California Freeway Patrol claimed.
The Golden State Freeway Patrol
CHP states it instantly informed the Marine Corps that a mortar round did unclear Interstate 5 which shrapnel was dropping around the highway. Then, the Marine Corps, according to the CHP, instantly terminated shooting extra real-time statute over the highway.
A security move was carried out on the highway to seek even more shrapnel, yet none was located.
Camp Pendleton authorities informed Fox Information Digital that an examination has actually been started to identify the case’s origin. ” The demo experienced a strenuous security examination, and calculated layers of redundancy, to guarantee the security of fellow-countrymans,” the declaration to Fox reviews partly.
In feedback to the noticeable early ignition and the shooting of ordnances over the highway, Newsom created on X on Sunday, “We like our Militaries and owe a financial debt of appreciation to Camp Pendleton, yet following time, the Vice Head Of State and the White Home should not be so careless with individuals’s lives for their vanity jobs.”
The The golden state Freeway Patrol claimed it is asking for an after-action testimonial with the federal government to review public security.