Artillery Shell Detonates During Marines’ Celebration, Hits CHP Vehicle

An “explosive ordnance” detonated prematurely and hit a law enforcement vehicle near Camp Pendleton in California Saturday. The incident happened during the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps event where Vice…

Sandra Rhodes·Oct 20, 2025·3 min read

Sponsored

Artillery Shell Detonates During Marines’ Celebration, Hits CHP Vehicle — IJR

“As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them,” he added.

“The CHP has filed an internal report on the incident, with a recommendation to conduct an additional after-action review into the planning, communication and coordination between federal, state, and local government around the event on Saturday, October 18, to strengthen protocols for future demonstrations and training events near public roadways,” the release read.

Camp Pendleton officials also issued a statement regarding the incident.

“We are aware of the report of a possible airborne detonation of a 155mm artillery round outside the designated impact area during the U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration at Camp Pendleton, CA, Oct. 18,” the I Marine Expeditionary Force Communication Strategy and Operations team said. “The demonstration went through a rigorous safety evaluation, and deliberate layers of redundancy, to ensure the safety of fellow citizens. Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. No injuries occurred, and the demonstration concluded as scheduled.”

“An investigation has been initiated. We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions,” the statement continued.

Newsom posted about the incident several times on X, writing in one post that President Donald Trump and Vance “put lives at risk to put on a show.”

“If you want to honor our troops, open the government and pay them,” Newsom said.

Loading post…