Man Arrested for Vandalizing Iwo Jima Statue at Quantico Base
Authorities estimate hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage after a suspect allegedly beheaded a figure on the monument with a sledgehammer.
A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing the Iwo Jima statue at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano was apprehended by law enforcement Wednesday night, accused of using a sledgehammer to decapitate one of the six servicemen depicted in the monument.
The incident, which occurred around 10:15 p.m., caused an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the limestone statue. Authorities reported that Maldonado Soriano also caused additional damage to the monument.
Maldonado Soriano faces charges including felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. He is currently being held without bond.
The Iwo Jima statue at Quantico, located approximately 36 miles south of Washington D.C., was sculpted by Felix de Weldon in 1954. It serves as a memorial to all Marines who have died in defense of the United States since 1775.