ATLANTA _ A woman authorities say set fire to the Atlanta Wendy's where Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot by an Atlanta police officer was arrested Tuesday afternoon, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said.
Natalie Hanna White, 29, was arrested outside her attorney's office in Buckhead shortly before 3 p.m., Eric Heinze, deputy commander with the U.S. Marshals Service, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was a joint effort among various law enforcement agencies, including the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office.
White was seen earlier in the day in Gwinnett County and investigators tracked her to an office park, where she was arrested without incident, Heinze said.
"Good things happen when great law enforcement officers coordinate their efforts and work together to apprehend dangerous suspects who pose a threat to our communities," the Gwinnett Sheriff's Office said in an emailed statement.
Attorney Drew Findling, who is representing White, said he had been in constant contact since Sunday with the Fulton district attorney's office to make arrangements for White to surrender. Findling declined to discuss specifics out of respect for the Brooks family, but said White knew Brooks.
"She did know him," Findling told the Journal-Constitution. "They did have a close relationship."
He told Channel 2 Action News that his client was not responsible for the fire.
On the night of June 12, during a more than 40-minute interaction with two Atlanta officers, Brooks told officers he had been with a girlfriend whom he identified as Natalie White, according to police video footage.
Attorneys for the Brooks family, L. Chris Stewart and Justin Miller, released a statement after White's arrest.
"We are unaware of any connection between the Natalie White that was arrested today for arson and the Natalie White mentioned by Rayshard Brooks in the bodycam video," the statement said. "The only person who could answer questions regarding any connection they may have had is Natalie White."
White was booked into the Fulton jail late Tuesday afternoon, the Sheriff's Office said. White lives in Peachtree Corners, according to her booking record. According to Findley, she has no criminal history.
An arrest warrant was issued Saturday for White. She has been charged with first-degree arson and is expected to appear before a magistrate judge at noon Wednesday.
The fast-food restaurant was set on fire and destroyed June 13 after Brooks was shot in the parking lot by Atlanta police the night before.
According to investigators, the fire was ignited by "multiple suspects" who used aerosol cans and lighters. Several fireworks were also set off inside the restaurant, and some protesters tossed debris into the building before setting it on fire, authorities said.
The announcement of White's arrest came just moments after the funeral ended for Brooks.
