A celebratory event for the US Marine Corps 250th birthday in California turned into a hazardous situation when shrapnel from artillery fire hit cars on a nearby highway. The incident occurred during live munitions firing, which was part of the celebration attended by Vice President JD Vance.
The California Highway Patrol reported that one piece of shrapnel dented a patrol vehicle's hood while another was found in an officer's hand. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but officials suspended further fire due to safety concerns.
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the incident, saying that "Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show." He also criticized the administration's stance on closing part of Interstate 5 for the event, citing extreme life safety risks and distractions to drivers from sudden explosions.
The Marine Corps first announced that the demonstration went through rigorous safety evaluations with multiple layers of redundancy. However, when the artillery round failed to clear the highway, it exploded near southbound lanes, striking two vehicles used as part of Vance's protective detail.
Vance focused on politics during his remarks, criticizing diversity initiatives and opposing parts of the government shutdown. The event was meant to be a celebration with live fire from a towed howitzer, fighter jets, Navy vessels, helicopters, and other military assets.
The incident highlights concerns about safety protocols for military events in densely populated areas, particularly where civilians are present.
The California Highway Patrol reported that one piece of shrapnel dented a patrol vehicle's hood while another was found in an officer's hand. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but officials suspended further fire due to safety concerns.
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the incident, saying that "Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show." He also criticized the administration's stance on closing part of Interstate 5 for the event, citing extreme life safety risks and distractions to drivers from sudden explosions.
The Marine Corps first announced that the demonstration went through rigorous safety evaluations with multiple layers of redundancy. However, when the artillery round failed to clear the highway, it exploded near southbound lanes, striking two vehicles used as part of Vance's protective detail.
Vance focused on politics during his remarks, criticizing diversity initiatives and opposing parts of the government shutdown. The event was meant to be a celebration with live fire from a towed howitzer, fighter jets, Navy vessels, helicopters, and other military assets.
The incident highlights concerns about safety protocols for military events in densely populated areas, particularly where civilians are present.
I'm seriously worried about these types of events 
... like what if someone got hurt instead of just a car? And can't they just choose a safer date or venue? It's crazy that a celebration turned into a hazardous situation because of the live fire 
. The fact that shrapnel hit cars on the highway is just insane! 
It's like, let's work together to make sure everyone stays safe, you know? 
what is wrong with people in charge 
the whole thing just sounds like a recipe for disaster - live munitions firing near cars on a highway? it's insane 
i mean, can't you do an event without someone getting hurt or something? 
. But honestly, can we really put a price on safety? I mean, if something goes wrong, who gets hurt? The soldiers doing the demonstration or the civilians driving by? It's a tough balance to strike, you know? And what does it say about our society that we're willing to put on a show with live munitions firing in the first place? Is it really worth it? 
. So, like, a bunch of politicians (Trump & Vance) just go around putting lives at risk for some "show" and then they got all defensive when someone calls 'em out on it 
And to top it off, some gov official is blaming the whole thing on the admin's decision to close part of the highway 
. Come on, priorities!
come on governor Newsom, gotta let go of the Trump hate 
. safety protocols should be the top priority not partisanship 
. The Marine Corps did say it went through super rigorous safety checks, so I think we're being too harsh on them 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good celebration, but safety should be #1, you know? 
. Just... what is wrong with some people? 
It's not that hard, guys! Let's take a step back and think about what really matters here - people's lives and safety 
how can live munitions firing go wrong?!? And what's up with VP Vance using this as a platform to attack politics instead of being all about honoring the brave men & women in the Marine Corps 
my heart is heavy for everyone involved
250 years of marine corps is supposed to be a celebration not a hazardous situation 
. I'm all for keeping politics out of celebrations, but he went way too far.
.
and who needs all these live munitions anyway? 
. And let's be real, if the Governor is gonna call out people in charge for being reckless, maybe that's a good thing? Maybe we need to hold people accountable for their actions and make sure they're thinking about the bigger picture 
. The question is, were the safety measures really as robust as they claimed? 
I'm glad no one was hurt but it's a really big deal that the event had to be stopped because of safety concerns 
. It's making me think we need to rethink how military events are planned and executed, especially when civilians are around 
.
. I mean, if artillery fire can hit cars on the highway, what else could happen?