US Vice President’s motorcade hit by shell fragments
The motorcade of the US Vice President hit by shell fragments (Illustrative photo: GettyImages)
During a Marine Corps training exercise in California, a shell exploded, injuring members of the US Vice President’s motorcade security, according to The Daily Beast.
At the Camp Pendleton military base in California, an accident occurred during demonstration firings marking the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps.
One of the 155-mm shells fired from an M777 howitzer prematurely detonated over Interstate 5, a major highway connecting Los Angeles and San Diego.
Fragments damaged a motorcycle from the Vice President’s security motorcade and a highway patrol vehicle. None of those involved sustained serious injuries, though the incident caused alarm among attendees.
Highway Patrol Chief Tony Coronado noted, “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway.”
Reaction of authorities and consequences
Before the event began, a section of the highway was temporarily closed, which caused frustration among drivers. The demonstration included artillery salvos, parachute jumps, F-35 fighter flyovers, and a Navy SEAL landing.
The Vice President personally observed the event and later told reporters that the display was a testament to the strength and indomitable spirit of the Corps. He added that meeting with the Marines left a strong impression on him.
However, members of the Democratic Party criticized the incident. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the live-fire exercise an absurd display of force and wrote on social media platform X: “Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show.”
Investigation of the incident
Following the event, the US Marine Corps immediately suspended all firing exercises and launched an internal investigation.
In an official statement, the I Marine Expeditionary Force said that all activities were conducted following a strict safety assessment, and experts are working to determine the exact cause of the premature detonation.
While representatives of the Trump administration insist that such exercises are standard practice, the military did not clarify whether live-fire drills had ever been conducted over busy highways before.
The US and Russia are preparing for a leaders’ summit in Budapest, which may become an attempt to revive dialogue on ending the war in Ukraine. The preparation for the meeting is being overseen for the first time by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with additional lower-level talks between representatives of both countries planned ahead of the main summit.
Reports indicate that the Kremlin, through Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, is trying to present the Trump administration with the economic benefits of normalizing relations with Russia, without including Ukraine in the peace negotiations.
