Shrapnel fragments rained on vehicles parked on Interstate 5 including highway patrol and JD Vance’s detail
A live artillery shell exploded prematurely during a marines live-fire demonstration that launched over a southern California freeway in celebration of the military branch’s 250th anniversary, raining shrapnel down on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and a motorcycle that was part of JD Vance’s detail, according to a police report.
The New York Times reported that fragments that fell from the 155mm shell landed on vehicles parked on a ramp on Interstate 5 – a major artery through southern California – which governor Gavin Newsom had ordered closed after learning that military officials had no plans to close the freeway.
Vance, a Republican and former enlisted marine who served in Iraq, visited the base in north San Diego county with defense secretary Pete Hegseth to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary and watch troops put on a show of amphibious vehicles and marines demonstrating a beach assault.
If nothing happened, vance and hegseth would have attacked Newsom for his decision saying it was obviously unnecessary. Had Newsom not closed the freeway and this happened, they would have attacked him for not doing something since it was his responsibility.
“If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose the training exercises that ensure our Armed Forces are the deadliest and most lethal fighting force in the world, then he can go right ahead,” Martin said.
The way this is phrased, it makes it sound like they wanted to kill motorists driving underneath so that they could be even more deadlier.
I’m not convinced it wasn’t intentional.
Trump wants to send missile attacks on civilians so bad.
But I’m betting someone higher up said no.
So he figured if they made it look like an accident they could.Cause wtf is it okay to send deadly weapons anywhere near civilians? They leave residue that is incredibly harmful.
From the NYT article:
…
According to the patrol report, one officer described what sounded like pebbles hitting his motorcycle and the area around him, and two others saw a two-inch piece of shrapnel hit the hood of their patrol vehicle, leaving a small dent. The report says shrapnel was also found on the road near the motorcycle.
Mr. Newsom had warned that the Marine Corps’ plans to fire artillery shells over Interstate 5, the West Coast’s main north-south artery, could pose hazards for motorists on the stretch between Los Angeles and San Diego. The closure he ordered on Saturday caused significant backups on the portion of the interstate, which is used by approximately 80,000 people daily.
“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,” Mr. Newsom said in a statement to The New York Times.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/us/politics/shell-interstate-5-marines-california.html
(My emphasis added)
The good little child killers were told to fire so they did; military fucks, roleplaying invading their own country to terrorise their fellow citizens.
Insane that anybody thought this was a good idea.
This is literally only the 12th most insane thing in the past 3 months.
JD Vance and Pete Hegseth being somehow involved or present makes this much less surprising. Too bad none of the shrapnel hit them.
The article also makes the mistake of calling Hegseth a Secretary of Defense. That fat alcoholic nazi loser is undeserving of the title, he is a secretary of war.
Oh hey, that thing that everybody said was gonna happen happened. If only one more person had pointed out that this was a terrible idea and was only ever going to be an opportunity for an accident to impact innocent civilians in California. Shucks.
Having used the 5 before to get to San Diego for a same day passport, I can confirm it’s a major artery and closing it down was actually kind of a risky move for Newsom since there’re not a ton of great options to get south directly (and I cannot overstate how upset car brained people get over closures).
Hell, some might still be upset even if they 100% would have suffered shrapnel injuries; it’s a good thing Newsom isn’t a complete sociopath and actually can make an unpopular call for people’s safety.
