A California memorial honoring the 13 U.S. service members who died last month in Afghanistan was vandalized on Monday.
Images show a majority of the 13 American flags and single Marine Corps flag, which were lined up alongside a freeway in Riverside, torn across with fabric hanging down.
“Recently after the deaths of our 13 United States Service Members killed in Afghanistan, 13 American Flags and 1 Marine Corp flag were placed on the fence to the Ivy Street overpass to the 91 Freeway in Riverside as a memorial,” the Riverside Police Department wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “Sometime yesterday, an observant citizen noticed the flags appeared to be damaged and it was reported to the police.”
AUBURN HONORS 13 US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN KABUL AIRPORT ATTACK
Police said it’s “obvious the flags were intentionally damaged,” but a spokesperson told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that authorities still don’t have any suspects in the case.
The department also said the flags were removed and will be given to a local Boy Scout troop for “proper retirement.”
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The 13 service members whom the memorial honored were killed last month in a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport as the U.S. military assisted with evacuations from Afghanistan. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Three of the fallen service members were Marines from Southern California: Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga; and Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio.
