US News

Brother of Marine blown up during Afghanistan withdrawal kills himself near memorial

By
Social Links for Lee Brown
Published Aug. 15, 2022
Updated Aug. 15, 2022, 12:01 p.m. ET

A grieving brother of one of the Marines blown up by a suicide bomber during last year’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan has killed himself next to a public memorial to his younger sibling, his mom revealed.

Dakota Halverson, 28, died by suicide in California just days shy of the anniversary of the attack that killed his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, and a dozen other US troops at Kabul airport as terrified Afghans tried to flee the Taliban.

In the run-up to his death, Dakota had “been talking a lot lately about how he just wants to be with Kareem, how much he misses him,” the men’s mother, Shana Chappell, told friends.

“This morning my son Dakota went to be with His brother Kareem,” she wrote last Tuesday.

In a follow-up post, the grieving mom blamed her latest loss on the “ripple effect” of the deadly US withdrawal, which she previously blamed on President “Biden’s negligence, ignorance and him being a traitor.”

Dakota Halverson, Shana Chappell, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui
Shana Chappell said her son, Dakota Halverson, 28, killed himself near the anniversary of his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, getting blown up in Afghanistan. Facebook / Shana Chappell
Shana Chappell' heartbreaking Facebook post.
Shana Chappell detailed her second loss in a harrowing post that blamed it on the “ripple effect” of President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Before his death last week, “Dakota had been expressing some of the things that had been bothering him and one of those things was the loss of his brother Kareem and how he just wanted to be with him again,” their mom wrote.

“He was still having a hard time believing he was actually gone.

“He’d sneak into the cemetery at night and sleep on Kareem’s resting place. He took his life across from a permanent memorial we have here in town for his brother Kareem,” she wrote.

Shana Chappell and her second son to die, Dakota Halverson.
Dakota Halverson was “having a hard time believing” his brother “was actually gone,” and “just wanted to be with him again,” their mom said. Facebook / Shana Chappell
Family of Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui at his grave site.
Before his death, Dakota Halverson would “sneak into the cemetery at night and sleep on Kareem’s resting place,” said the mom, pictured earlier at her Marine’s son’s grave with other family members. Facebook / Shana Chappell
Grave stone for Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.
An online fundraiser has collected more than $37,500 to help Shana Chappell bury son Dakota Halverson next to the grave of his brother, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. Facebook / Shana Chappell

The mom appeared to be referring to a memorial garden in Norco devoted to the “Fallen 13” that was revealed earlier this year. However, he also has a memorial stone at the cemetery where he is buried, and last month, the town’s post office was renamed the Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial Post Office in his honor.

“I’m not gonna make this a political post but this is the ripple effect!” wrote the mom, who previously said she was censored online for her criticism of Biden.

“Now my kids have lost another brother. My family has lost another loving family member and Dakota’s friends have lost a true friend!

Late Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui with his mother, Shana Chappell.
Shana Chappell previously blamed President “Biden’s negligence, ignorance and him being a traitor” for the death of her Marine son, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.
Late Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.
Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui was one of the 13 US service members killed during a suicide bombing at Kabul airport nearly a year ago. AP

“I’m still in shock over this and honestly when the shock wears off i don’t know how i am gonna pull through this,” she wrote, adding hashtags for suicide awareness.

“My CoCo and my Kareemy, i love you both so much!” she wrote.

In an online fundraiser, Chappell again said that “losing his brother nearly one year ago has proven too difficult to bear for Dakota.”

As of Monday morning, wellwishers had donated more than $37,500 to help bury him next to his brother.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.