A man has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a memorial for murdered Virginia teenager Nabra Hassanen.
Washington DC residents held a vigil on Tuesday night to pay their respects to the 17-year-old, who was beaten to death with a baseball bat while on her way to a mosque.
Jonathan Solomon, 24, from South Carolina, was arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of starting a bonfire at the site, the New York Daily News reported.
Pictures have emerged showing charred flowers and memorial placards in the city’s Dupont Circle, where mourners had gathered.
Police stressed that “the incident does not appear to be motivated by bias”.
About 5,000 people attended Nabra's funeral on Wednesday following an outpouring of grief in her local community, many of whom have been left fearing their safety, and across the United States.
She was on her way to prayers after her breakfast on Sunday morning when she was confronted by a man who drove past in a car.
She was assaulted and became separated from her four friends, police said. She was believed to have tripped over her clothes before she was attacked.
The other teenagers made it safely to the mosque where they notified the authorities and a search was launched.
A body was later found in a pond near Ridgetop Circle in Sterling, about three miles from where the attack took place. A metal baseball bat was found near the body.
Police have charged Darwin Torres, 22, with her murder.
He was arrested after he was seen driving suspiciously in the area while officers were still searching for Nabra.
Police had been investigating the possibility that the killing was a hate crime, but decided later that it was motivated by road rage.
