Man Charged in Sledgehammer Attack on Quantico Iwo Jima Statue

WHO:

Fox News - Police identified the suspect as Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, Virginia.

NBC4 Washington - Prince William County police identified the man as Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, from Stafford County.

Fox News - Prince William County Police responded to the vandalism report and arrested Maldonado Soriano.

NBC4 Washington - Officers detained Maldonado Soriano and charged him with felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument.

Fox News - Maldonado Soriano faces felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument; he is held without bond.

Fox News - Sculptor Felix de Weldon created the statue and later sculpted the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.

NBC4 Washington - Dr. Felix Weihs de Weldon sculpted the statue and also sculpted the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Fox News - The monument depicts Marines raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

WHAT:

CNN - CNN reported that the damaged Quantico monument is about 36 miles south of Washington, D.C.

CNN - Marine Corps Base Quantico describes the limestone statue as a “non-heroic-size” replica of the 60-foot bronze Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington.

Fox News - In 2001, portions of Marine Corps Base Quantico were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District, encompassing 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture, and a water tower.

Fox News - Quantico has served as a center for military training and education for generations.

Fox News - Police said Maldonado Soriano allegedly used a sledgehammer to damage the Iwo Jima statue, removing one Marine’s head and damaging other figures.

NBC4 Washington - Police said he broke the head off one of the statue’s Marines with a sledgehammer.

Fox News - Other damage included gouges on another Marine’s helmet and face and damage to a bayonet attached to a firearm on a third figure.

Fox News - Police estimated repairs would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars; authorities had not said whether the statue could be repaired.

NBC4 Washington - Police described the damage as extensive and estimated it at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Fox News - Maldonado Soriano was held without bond; no court date had been announced.

NBC4 Washington - Police did not provide information about a possible motive.

WHERE:

Fox News - The statue is near Richmond Highway and Fuller Road in Quantico, Virginia, by the entrance to Marine Corps Base Quantico and close to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

NBC4 Washington - The statue stands at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

WHEN:

Fox News - Police said officers responded to the vandalism report at about 10:13 p.m. on October 21.

CNN - The photograph by Joe Rosenthal depicting six Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima was taken on February 23, 1945.

CNN - De Weldon began working on the statue in 1945 and completed the Quantico limestone version before the end of that year; the Arlington memorial was completed in 1954.

Fox News - Police responded at about 10:13 p.m. Wednesday to reports of vandalism.

NBC4 Washington - Police found Maldonado Soriano vandalizing the statue after 10 p.m. Wednesday.

NBC4 Washington - De Weldon carved the statue over a nine-year period in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

WHY:

Fox News - Authorities had not disclosed a possible motive for the alleged attack.

NBC4 Washington - Police gave no information about a potential motive.

HOW:

CNN - Police said officers responding to a property-destruction report saw the suspect “actively damaging the statue with a sledgehammer” and detained him without incident.

Fox News - Officers allegedly arrived while Maldonado Soriano was striking the monument with a sledgehammer, then detained and arrested him.

Fox News - The monument is a nine-foot limestone sculpture depicting the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima.

NBC4 Washington - De Weldon carved the nine-foot limestone statue after seeing Joe Rosenthal’s photograph of the flag-raising.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 11:04 UTC)

Police in Virginia say a man was caught damaging the Iwo Jima monument at Marine Corps Base Quantico with a sledgehammer. Officers identified him as 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano of Stafford County and arrested him at the scene. Police say he broke off the head of one Marine and damaged other figures, including a helmet, a face, and a bayonet. The nine-foot limestone sculpture stands near the base entrance, close to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It depicts Marines raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Sculptor Felix de Weldon also created the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington. Authorities estimate repairs will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but have not said whether the statue can be restored. Maldonado Soriano faces three felony charges and is held without bond; police have not disclosed a motive.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 07:25 UTC)

A Virginia man has been charged with felonies after police say they caught him damaging the Iwo Jima monument at Marine Corps Base Quantico with a sledgehammer. Officers identified him as 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano of Stafford County and detained him without incident. Police say the attack broke the head off one Marine figure and damaged others, including a helmet, a face and a bayonet. They estimate repairs will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but have not said whether the statue can be repaired. Maldonado Soriano faces charges of felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument, and is being held without bond. Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive. The nine-foot limestone sculpture depicts Marines raising the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 03:18 UTC)

A man is accused of using a sledgehammer to badly damage the Iwo Jima statue at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Police identified him as 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, of Stafford County, and said officers arrived while he was striking the monument. The statue depicts Marines raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Police say the attack broke off one Marine’s head and gouged another figure’s helmet and face, while also damaging a bayonet. Repairs could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and authorities have not said whether the monument can be restored. Maldonado Soriano faces felony charges including destruction of property and injury to a monument, and is being held without bond. Police have not disclosed a possible motive. Sculptor Felix de Weldon also created the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 02:18 UTC)

A man has been arrested after police say he used a sledgehammer to severely damage the Iwo Jima statue at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Officers responded to reports of vandalism after 10 p.m. Wednesday and found Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, striking the monument. Police say he broke off one Marine’s head, gouged another figure’s helmet and face, and damaged a bayonet on a third. The damage is estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and authorities have not said whether the statue can be repaired. Maldonado Soriano faces felony charges including destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and injury to a monument; he is being held without bond. The nine-foot limestone sculpture depicts Marines raising the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II. Sculptor Felix de Weldon also created the Marine Corps War Memorial.