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Premature ‍Artillery Round⁤ detonation Halts ​Marine Presentation Over California Interstate

CAMP PENDLETON, CA – A planned artillery demonstration ⁤by the U.S. Marines went awry Wednesday⁣ afternoon when a 155mm artillery round detonated prematurely, showering a section⁣ of Interstate 5⁤ with shrapnel. The incident prompted an immediate halt to the exercise ⁣and triggered‌ an investigation ⁢by the First Marine expeditionary Force.

According to a California Highway Patrol ⁤(CHP) incident report, the ⁤demonstration began around 1:46 p.m. and was ‍initially ​slated to involve ​approximately 60 artillery rounds fired over a⁣ five-minute period, concluding at 1:51⁤ p.m. however, shortly after the firing commenced, a‌ round exploded outside the⁢ designated impact area, sending debris ​onto the busy highway.

An unoccupied CHP patrol ⁣vehicle sustained minor damage,with shrapnel approximately 2 ​inches by 2 inches leaving a “small dent/scratch” ⁢on the ‌vehicle’s hood. A CHP motorcycle officer reported hearing​ debris​ fall near him, discovering a piece of shrapnel‌ roughly one inch long and half‍ an ​inch‌ wide within three feet⁢ of his motorcycle, which was not damaged. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

A live video feed of⁤ the demonstration captured audio of what sounded ‍like rapid gunfire, accompanied by an announcer’s commentary: “Thuuunderrrr. The guns recoil.⁤ The earth shakes and 1-5-5 mm shell tears⁣ through the air. … Steel ​rain‌ inbound.”⁤ The announcer ​then fell largely silent.

Capt.‌ Gregory Dreibelbis, spokesperson⁤ for ‌the First Marine‍ Expeditionary Force, confirmed the investigation in a statement to The Times.”the demonstration went through a rigorous safety evaluation, and ⁤deliberate layers ⁢of redundancy, to ensure the ‌safety of fellow ‍citizens,” ‌he said. “We are committed to determining the incident’s root​ cause⁤ and applying findings to future missions.”

Dreibelbis emphasized ‌the frequency of artillery training at ‌Camp ⁤Pendleton, stating Marines fire artillery “nearly every week.” He also defended the M777 artillery system,‍ saying, “These systems ⁢are designed to fire over‌ the⁢ heads of friendly forces to achieve effects on our adversary. We trust this system with our lives,” and ⁣noting its successful use in combat operations, ⁤including Syria.

The​ incident⁤ drew swift criticism ‌from California‌ Governor Gavin Newsom, who took to X⁤ (formerly Twitter) to accuse former⁤ President Donald Trump and ‍Marine Corps Commandant Gen. ​Eric vance, who was ‍observing the demonstration, of recklessly endangering lives.⁢ “This⁤ could have killed someone,” Newsom​ stated‌ in a post.

The ⁣Marine Expeditionary Force Communication Strategy and Operations team released a statement to ⁣Fox News‍ affirming that ⁤firing was suspended following established safety protocols‍ and that an investigation is ‍underway. “No injuries occurred, and the demonstration ‍concluded⁣ as scheduled,” the ⁤statement read. “We are committed to‍ determining the incident’s root cause and ⁤applying findings to‌ future⁣ missions.”