Christopher Marquez, a veteran Marine sergeant and Bronze Star with “V” recipient who’s wartime heroics were captured in one of the Iraq War’s most famous photographs was assaulted Friday by 5 teenagers aged 16 to 21.
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Marquez, now a current student at American University said that at around 10:30pm he was eating at a McDonald’s in Washington DC’s Chinatown neighborhood, when a group of teens came up to him and began harassing him.
According to the Daily Caller News Foundation which reported the story, Marquez said:
“The kids were asking me if I think that black lives mattered. I was ignoring them, just because I felt intimidated. I felt how they approached me, it was very hostile. I felt they were really trying to intimidate me and just trying to start a confrontation with me.”
It was when he began to leave that one of the teens called him a racist and hit him on the back of the head with an unknown object, knocking him unconscious. They then stormed the knocked out body, ripping off his pocket, and stealing his wallet, ID, credit cards, debit card and about $400 in cash.
The group later racked up $115 in charges on his USAA debit card later that night.
He was transported to the hospital and treated for head trauma and an eye contusion.
He had this to later say to the Daily Caller:
“When I was in the Marine Corps, I served with people from many different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, and races. Like all Marines, I fought for the freedom of all Americans and not just one particular group.”
The investigation is underway for the assailants, who are believed to have committed similar crimes in the past.
Marquez earned his Bronze Star while serving in the infamous “Hell House” firefight in Fallujah. One of the photos of the aftermath became one of the most viewed photos of the war and was the basis for the “No Man Left Behind” statue at Camp Lejeune, NC and Camp Pendleton, CA.
Below are both:
(Sgt Maj Brad Kasal is carried to safety by lance corporals Chris Marquez and Dane Shaffer in Fallujah. Photo by Lucian Read – http://lucianread.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Iraq-Fallujah/G0000_u3actIywZE/I0000q.ZB57TPMg8)
What should this group’s punishment be? Sound off in the comments below!
