Prince William County police arrested a 27-year-old Stafford man Wednesday night after finding him striking the Iwo Jima statue near Marine Corps Base Quantico with a sledgehammer, authorities said.
Officers responded at about 10:13 p.m. Oct. 21 to reports of vandalism at the monument near Richmond Highway and Fuller Road. They found Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano at the scene and detained him without incident.
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.
Miguel Alonso Maldonado… pic.twitter.com/dUOOrk4y0x
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 23, 2026
The attack destroyed the head of one Marine figure, which police found on the ground nearby, and left gouges and other damage to the statue. Police estimate repairs will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
🚨 BREAKING: Outrage erupts after man named "Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano" took a SLEDGEHAMMER to the historic Iwo Jima statue at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia and knocked the head off one of the Marines
HE LITERALLY BEHEADED IT.
Dig into his history and find out if… pic.twitter.com/SjpQq6r4ki
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 22, 2026
The white limestone sculpture is a smaller replica of the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington. It was created by Felix de Weldon, who also sculpted the larger bronze memorial, and depicts the flag-raising by U.S. Marines atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Marine Corps Base Quantico says the statue honors the Marines who took part in the battle.
Maldonado Soriano faces charges of felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. He is being held without bond. A court date has not been set, and authorities have not disclosed a possible motive.
Police are investigating and asked anyone with information to contact the Prince William County Police Department tip line.
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