U.S. Marines fire on the motorcade of the U.S. Vice President: details
20 October 2025 13:11
Fragments of an artillery shell hit a California Highway Patrol car and motorcycle that were part of the security detail for U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in California, The New York Times reports, "Komersant Ukrainian".
It happened during a shooting demonstration at a military parade at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County.
The vehicles were parked on an exit ramp from the Interstate 5 highway after escorting Vance’s motorcade when a 155-millimeter shell exploded over the road. The officers were not injured in the incident.
One of the patrol officers described in his report how “something that looked like pebbles hit his motorcycle and fell next to him.” Two other officers reported that a five-centimeter fragment hit the hood of their patrol car and left a small dent. The report said shrapnel was found on the road next to the motorcycle.
The exercise, which included the firing of approximately 60 155 mm shells, was stopped after a shell exploded prematurely. The road was reopened after police checked it for shrapnel and found nothing.
The firing was part of a larger exercise dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the US Marine Corps. In addition to Vance, the exercise was attended by Pentagon chief Pete Hagel.
The military is conducting an investigation
Lieutenant Colonel Lindsey Pirek, a representative of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, said that the military is conducting an investigation. They intend to determine the cause of the munition explosion.
A current U.S. Marine officer who has served for more than 20 years in the artillery noted that premature shell explosions are extremely rare. According to him, it was most likely due to a fuse failure.
The military interviewed by the newspaper on an anonymous basis called it strange that the military decided to fire live artillery shells from the beach of Whites Beach this time. According to them, prior to this, training with howitzers at Camp Pendleton had only taken place at approved artillery ranges and it was a “safer option.”
The California Highway Patrol considers the situation unusual.
“It’s extremely rare to have live fire or explosions on active highways,” Axios quoted California State Police Border Patrol Chief Tony Coronado as saying.
Representatives of Vance, the White House and the Pentagon did not respond to the portal’s requests for comment on the incident.
The governor demanded that the military not shoot over the road
Before the event, the governor of California opposed the plan to conduct firing exercises over the Interstate 5 interstate highway and ordered the closure of a 27 km long section. At the same time, the military recommended not closing this area, insisting on the safety of the shooting.
Newsom noted that the plans to shoot over Interstate 5, which is the main transportation artery of the US West Coast, could pose a danger to motorists on the section between Los Angeles and San Diego. His decision to close the road led to major traffic jams, as it is used by about 80,000 motorists every day, but may have saved someone’s life.
“We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time the vice president and the White House should not be so reckless with people’s lives for their own vanity projects,” Newsom said.
The U.S. Marine Corps was established in the fall of 1775 after a resolution was passed by the U.S. Congress. It is one of the six branches of the US military. The main tasks of the corps include landing and overcoming enemy defenses in the coastal zone. The Marines have their own armored vehicles, artillery, and aircraft.
