Lopez, Hunter
Male
Verified Corporal Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California, was a U.S. Marine killed in a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 26, 2021.
Their Story
Hunter Lopez was a 22-year-old Marine from Indio, California. He served as a Corporal with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, part of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force based at Camp Pendleton. According to his family and the Marine Corps, he was the son of two Riverside County sheriff's deputies and had planned to pursue a career in law enforcement after his military service.
On August 26, 2021, Corporal Lopez was among the U.S. service members providing security at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport. The airport was the focal point of a massive evacuation of civilians and foreign nationals following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. At approximately 5:50 p.m. local time, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest in the dense crowd outside the gate. The blast killed 13 U.S. service members, including Lopez, and at least 170 Afghan civilians.
The attack occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom in 2015. The mission involved counter-terrorism operations and support for Afghan forces. The evacuation at Kabul's airport, dubbed Operation Allies Refuge, was the final major U.S. military operation of the nearly 20-year war.
In the immediate aftermath, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the bombing. The U.S. Department of Defense identified all 13 fallen service members. Lopez's body was returned to the United States, and a memorial service was held in his hometown of Indio, where he was remembered by community leaders and fellow service members.
Corporal Lopez was posthumously promoted from Lance Corporal. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department reportedly granted him a posthumous appointment as a deputy sheriff, fulfilling his career aspiration. A scholarship fund was established in his name.
Explore Further
Hunter Lopez was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (2015?2021). The conflict concluded in August 2021 with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.
