What was supposed to be a patriotic display of military might turned dangerous over the weekend, when a 155-millimeter artillery shell exploded over Interstate 5—raining shrapnel onto a motorcycle in Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade and a California Highway Patrol vehicle.
The incident occurred Saturday during a live-fire demonstration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, according to a report from The New York Times. Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were present at the celebration when the shell exploded unexpectedly, sending fragments down onto the closed freeway.
Authorities are calling it a “mishap.” Fortunately, no one was hurt.
“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 NYT report states. “The report says shrapnel was also found on the road near the motorcycle.”
About 60 artillery rounds were scheduled to be fired during the event. The incident raises questions about how thoroughly the safety protocols were vetted—and whether politics played a role in pushing the limits of an already controversial event.
California Governor Gavin Newsom had ordered I-5 closed ahead of time, citing concerns about reports that the Trump administration planned to fire live ordnance. Still, despite the closure, the fallout from the shell hit dangerously close to the motorcade and attending officers.
A Marine Corps spokesperson acknowledged there had been a “lengthy back and forth between officials” over whether the live-fire component should proceed but declined to offer further details. That hesitation to explain—combined with the close call—adds more fuel to the already simmering tensions between state and federal authorities over the planning and execution of the event.
JD Vance has not publicly commented on the incident.
It could have been worse. But it shouldn’t have happened at all.
