A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the vandalism of a Hindu temple in Louisville, according to police.

Louisville Metro Police Sgt. Russell Montfort said the juvenile suspect, whose name is not being released, was arrested Thursday in connection with the vandalism discovered earlier this week at the Swaminarayan Temple on Bardstown Road in the Buechel neighborhood.

The juvenile, a Jefferson County Public Schools student, was charged with third-degree burglary and first-degree criminal mischief, Montfort said.

Sometime between Sunday evening and Tuesday morning, officials said the juvenile broke windows and spray-painted "repugnant messages of hate" and black crosses inside the temple.

Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad called the vandalism a hate crime on Wednesday and said police would be at the temple Sunday to make sure the community is safe.

Police received a tip around 11 a.m. Thursday and by 2 p.m. had arrested the juvenile after he provided a statement to police, Montfort said.

Police believe the suspect acted alone, Montfort said.

The arrest report mentioned "a bias with (the crime) being (of) a religious nature," but a judge would decide whether to add a hate crime enhancement to the initial charges, Montfort said.

Background:Officials: 'Cowardly' vandalism at Louisville temple was a hate crime

Kentucky's hate crime statute allows a judge to deny probation or shock probation to an offender found guilty of intentionally acting "because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation of national origin" of the victim.

However, no harsher hate crime penalties are currently possible through Kentucky statutes.

Jeff Cooke, a spokesman for the Commonwealth's Attorney Office, said state lawmakers have introduced or are considering introducing several hate crime bills "that would enhance penalties" for crimes determined to be motivated by hate against one of the designated classes.

The suspect broke a window downstairs near the entrance to the temple. Shards of glass were scattered across part of the floor. In an upstairs room, profane messages were spray-painted on the walls along with several black crosses. Phrases such as "Jesus Is All Mighty," "Jesus Is Lord" and "God" were also sprayed in black paint on the walls.

An image of a religious figure was also partially sprayed with black paint, and a knife was left on a chair in the temple.

Suhas Kulkarni, who attends the temple, told reporters Friday that temple members initially felt some fear upon learning of the vandalism but now have a sense of relief following the arrest.

A natural reaction, Kulkarni said, is to lash out at the perpetrator, but members will instead use the incident as an opportunity to explain what their Hindu faith is all about.

"We are a peace-loving people," Kulkarni said. "We felt this was perpetrated by someone who really doesn't understand what we stand for. ... Ours is a 10,000-year-old culture totally predicated on peace and compassion and love and service to others."

Nobody was at the temple when the vandalism occurred, said Raj Patel, a spokesman for Swaminarayan Temple, which has been on Bardstown Road for about five years. Between 60 to 100 people usually attend Sunday worship, Patel said on Wednesday.

"Our main concern is just making sure that we feel safe when we come back to this temple to pray," Patel told the Courier Journal. "We shouldn't have to look behind our shoulders or our backs to feel that there is someone out here to get us."

Kulkarni said temple members are appreciative of the "awesome" work by police in arresting the suspect.

Kulkarni said many Louisville residents are from or have ties to India, where a majority of the world's Hindus live, and they contribute to the city in numerous ways such as doctors, business leaders and politicians.

His daughter, State Rep. Nima Kulkarni, became the first Indian-American ever elected to the Kentucky General Assembly in November.

"We want to welcome anyone who wants to come to the temple ... or any of the other (Hindu temples in Louisville) and talk to any of our members," Kulkarni said. "And we'll be happy to explain what our culture is, what our practices are, what we are all about."

The Hindu American Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group, is grateful for authorities and local, state and federal officials, including Gov. Matt Bevin, who have condemned the vandalism, said Jay Kansara, the group's director of government relations.

HAF will push federal authorities to prosecute the incident as a hate crime if state authorities do not, Kansara said.

"We hope (the suspect) has a path to reform," Kansara said. "But this is not a joke."

Mayor Greg Fischer invited community members to help clean up the vandalism this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. LMPD said temple members are asking volunteers to bring extra painting and cleaning supplies if possible.

More:Gov. Bevin calls vandalism of Louisville Hindu temple 'reprehensible'