Dozens of American flags torched by arsonist

GRANADA HILLS, Calif. (FOX 11) - Barbara Wright showed FOX 11 a now torched container at a Granada Hills Veteran's Park which was set on fire late Sunday morning with at least 50 American flags inside.

"It was just appalling that somebody would do such a thing to our flag, our nation's symbol, it was devastating, Wright said.

She takes it personally because the bin was her son Ronald Wright's Eagle Scout Project before he joined the army.

"He was upset about it and he just wants to see it restored to its original status," Wright said.

Investigators with the Los Angeles Fire Department believe someone intentionally set the bin on fire.

A suspect has been taken into custody and charges have been filed, according to Captain Erik Scott with LAFD.

Flags placed inside the bin are supposed to be burned, but not in this way.

The container which was installed in August of 2016 is for the public to drop off their worn and torn US flags to be properly retired by the Boy Scouts.

"We have collected so many flags from this within the first week of it being placed here," Wright said.

She estimates at least a thousand flags have been collected.

Scott said firefighters will take over the task of retiring the torched flags.

"It was important for firefighters to ensure that those American flags have the proper ceremonial disposal," Scott said. "That's exactly what the local firefighters are doing for those flags."

Wright says she doesn't know if the person who did this had a political agenda, but she has a message for him.

"He should be remorseful for what he did and have respect for our flag," she said.