Overview
- A 155 mm round fired from White’s Beach at about 1:46 p.m. detonated midair over a closed stretch of Interstate 5, dropping shrapnel that dented a California Highway Patrol car in Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail.
- No injuries were reported; Marines immediately suspended additional firing, conducted safety sweeps, and opened an investigation into the premature detonation.
- CHP’s internal report urges an after-action review focused on planning, communication, and coordination for events near public roadways.
- California closed roughly 17 miles of I-5 for the event on CHP’s recommendation, a decision disputed by the White House before the incident as leaders traded public accusations over safety and necessity.
- Newsom’s office says Marines conducted a dress rehearsal over the freeway the day before without notifying the state, while Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended Saturday’s 250th-anniversary demonstration.