SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — One hour into President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address, Steve Nikoui interrupted, yelling "Remember Abbey Gate, U.S. Marines, Kareem Nikoui" before being escorted out of the building. Abbey Gate is the entrance to the airport in Afghanistan where a suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. servicemembers three years ago, including Nikoui's son.
A majority of the fallen heroes were assigned to Camp Pendleton.
"I'm glad Joe Biden got to see his face and hear his son's name," said Cheryl Rex.
Rex is the mother of 20 year old lance corporal Dylan Merola who was also killed in the bombing.
Rex knows the Nikoui family, and says she's proud of Steve for speaking up. She believes the white house has not properly honored or acknowledged their children's deaths.
"We've been fighting for accountability and answers for 2.5 years and we've gotten nothing as parents," Rex said.
Last August, congressman Darell Issa invited Rex, Nikoui, and the 11 other Gold Star families to speak at a public forum in Escondido. In front of a packed room, family members spoke about their loss and questioned how the U.S. government handled its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"The families got a chance to be heard on how they feel."
ABC News has reported that ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack and that the mastermind behind it was killed last year.
The Biden administration condemned the attack but has defended the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling the evacuation an extraordinary success.
"It wasn't a success when our 13 children came home in caskets."
So, in the House Chamber Nikoui continued to yell, even when officers asked him to stop. Police removed Nikoui from the building and arrested him for crowding, obstructing or incommoding.
