Key Camp Pendleton document has no approved artillery firing locations west of I-5

"Thousands of Southern California motorists planning to travel between San Diego and Orange or Los Angeles counties Saturday afternoon had to change or cancel plans when the state abruptly closed a section of I-5 Saturday afternoon, citing planned live fire over the freeway associated with the Marine Corps 250th Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration, a massive exercise that had thousands of troops storming Camp Pendleton's Red Beach from ships offshore."

"Howitzer cannon fire, said to occur on nearby White Beach, was part of the exercise, lobbing artillery rounds over the freeway and onto an impact zone deep inside the nearly 200-square-mile base. It came out one day later that a round exploded prematurely, raining shrapnel down on some parts of the closed freeway. While no one was hurt, pieces of metal were documented striking a CHP patrol cruiser, said to be part of Vice President JD Vance's detail."

California authorities called firing of howitzers over Interstate 5 unusual and noted Camp Pendleton procedures contain no formal provision for firing over the busy roadway. The state closed a section of I-5 for a Marine Corps 250th Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration that involved thousands of troops storming Red Beach and included a planned live-fire demonstration. Howitzer rounds were lobbed over the freeway toward an inland impact zone, and one round exploded prematurely the next day, showering shrapnel on parts of the closed roadway. No injuries were reported, but fragments struck a CHP patrol cruiser assigned to the vice presidential detail.

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