Metal shrapnel struck a law enforcement vehicle in California on Saturday during a celebration attended by Vice President JD Vance.
In an October 20 statement, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the piece of shrapnel from an “explosive ordnance” hit a patrol car at an event taking place near Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base in San Diego County.
The incident occurred while CHP officers helped pause traffic along I-5 as part of an event to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps.
The exact timing of the incident remains unclear; however, the CHP said it happened “during an exceptional U.S. Marine Corps live-fire training demonstration over the freeway, and where the CHP had elected to stop traffic during the live-fire exercise.”
No injuries were reported during the incident. CHP officers notified the Marine Corps, who then ceased additional live ordnance firing over the freeway.
CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado called the incident “unusual and concerning.”
“It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway. As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them,” he said.
The CHP says that following the cessation of additional live firing, the area was assessed for further evaluation.
“The CHP has filed an internal report on the incident, with a recommendation to conduct an additional after-action review into the planning, communication and coordination between federal, state, and local government around the event on Saturday, October 18, to strengthen protocols for future demonstrations and training events near public roadways,” the state agency said in the statement.
The I Marine Expeditionary Force Communication Strategy and Operations team told Fox News Digital that “The demonstration went through a rigorous safety evaluation, and deliberate layers of redundancy, to ensure the safety of fellow citizens.”