Officers from the Prince William County Police Department responded to a report of property destruction near Richmond Highway at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Wednesday night, around 10:31 p.m.

They found Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, Virginia, 'actively damaging the statue with a sledgehammer,' and detained him without incident.

The attack removed the head of one of the six servicemen depicted in the limestone monument, gouged another figure's helmet and face, and knocked a bayonet from a third figure's rifle. Police estimate the damage at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Soriano was charged with felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. He is being held without bond pending a court appearance.

Fox News reports, citing federal sources, that Soriano is a Mexican citizen who entered the US illegally in December 1999 and held DACA status from 2014 until it lapsed in August 2026, when it was not renewed by the Trump administration.

CNN notes authorities have not disclosed a motive and that it reached out to Soriano's attorney for comment.

The damaged statue is a smaller limestone replica of sculptor Felix de Weldon's Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. It depicts the iconic Joe Rosenthal photograph of six US Marines raising an American flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, during World War II.

According to the Marines, de Weldon — then on duty in the Navy — began work in 1945 upon seeing Rosenthal's photo and completed the Quantico version before the end of that year; Arlington's larger bronze version was not finished until 1954.

The immigration report quickly became political.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to Fox News and the New York Post: 'This criminal illegal alien's dream is over: Maldonado Soriano disrespected our brave service members and defaced a beautiful monument that honored their sacrifice.'

Conservative outlets Townhall and PJ Media amplified the DACA report, with PJ Media also citing a group's claim of prior charges. CNN, by contrast, identified Soriano only as a Stafford, Virginia man, and police have not confirmed any immigration status publicly.

Soriano is being held at the Prince William County-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center without bond, and a court date has not yet been announced. Police say the investigation remains ongoing and have asked anyone with information to contact their tipline.

Authorities have not said why Soriano targeted the monument, and officials have not confirmed whether the Marine Corps has restoration plans in place. The statue stands near the entrance to Marine Corps Base Quantico, about 36 miles south of Washington, DC.