Illegal Immigrant Beheads Marine in Iwo Jima Monument
Illegal immigrant beheads Marine in iconic Iwo Jima statue, sparking outrage and calls for justice.
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An illegal immigrant from Mexico allegedly beheaded a Marine in the iconic Iwo Jima monument at Marine Corps Base Quantico, damaging the famous flag-raising statue. The incident occurred late Wednesday when Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, was caught mid-swing with a sledgehammer, striking the limestone memorial. The damage is expected to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.
Legal Background of the Suspect
According to federal sources, Maldonado Soriano entered the United States in December 1999 as a child and received protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2014. His DACA status was renewed under President Joe Biden in 2024, but it expired in August when President Donald Trump’s administration did not renew it.
NEW: Multiple federal sources confirm to @FoxNews that the suspect arrested for using a sledgehammer to behead a WW2 Iwo Jima monument in Quantico, VA on Tuesday is a Mexican illegal alien & former DACA recipient whose legal status expired this year.
“This criminal illegal alien’s dream is over: Maldonado Soriano disrespected our brave service members and defaced a beautiful monument that honored their sacrifice,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told the New York Post. “President Trump has secured our border and is deporting illegal criminals who hate our country and our values. The socialist Democrats want to go back to open borders and flood our communities with dangerous criminal illegal aliens.”
Damage to the Monument
The alleged rampage left one Marine headless, with a second losing the bayonet from his rifle and a third having his helmet and face chipped and gouged, according to police. Maldonado Soriano faces felony charges of destruction of property, injury to a monument, and trespassing. Authorities are holding him without bond.
Historical Significance of the Statue
The Iwo Jima monument, sculpted by Felix de Weldon, honors the most famous moment in American military history. The statue, located at the base’s main gate near the National Museum of the Marine Corps, has faced previous vandalism, including a 2012 defacement and a 2018 windstorm that cracked the figures’ hands.
The Battle of Iwo Jima
On February 19, 1945, Marines stormed Iwo Jima, a volcanic rock 750 miles south of Tokyo, to secure airfields. The battle resulted in nearly 7,000 American deaths and the near-annihilation of the Japanese garrison. The iconic flag-raising moment, captured by photographer Joe Rosenthal, became a symbol of American perseverance and won a Pulitzer Prize.
Legacy of the Flag-Raisers
Three of the six flag-raisers never left the island, with Sgt. Michael Strank and Cpl. Harlon Block dying in combat. Pfc. Franklin Sousley fell on March 21. Pfc. Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian, became a reluctant celebrity but struggled with alcoholism and died in 1955. The remaining two flag-raisers, Pfc. Harold Schultz and Cpl. Harold Keller, lived quietly without public recognition until their identities were confirmed decades later.
Source: Daily Wire
