Bakari Henderson
American Bakari Henderson was reportedly beaten by a group of at least 10 people and left unconscious on the streets in the Greek island of Zakynthos Facebook

An argument over a photograph may have been the reason behind the deadly beating of an American college graduate during a trip to the Greek island of Zakynthos, reports claim.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the brutal beating, including two who have been charged with murder.

Bakari Henderson, from Austin, Texas, was beaten by a crowd of at least 10 people, NPR reported. The recent University of Arizona graduate suffered severe head injuries and died on Friday (7 July). A full autopsy report is expected within the next few days.

"Bakari was in Greece working on a photo shoot to launch his new clothing line when the unbelievable tragedy occurred," Henderson's family said in a statement, according to a KVUE reporter.

The 22-year-old was described as a "peacemaker" who was not the type of person to engage in bar fights.

"Bakari was not one to act aggressively like that," his friend Travis Jenkins told ABC News. "He was always the one who was the peacemaker."

Reports about what led to the deadly bar brawl differ, with Athens newspaper Kathimerini citing an unnamed police source that reported the fight broke out after a "petty dispute over someone setting their drink down on a table occupied by a different group".

Meanwhile, CBS News cited witnesses, who said Henderson and his friends "wanted to take a photo with the waitress, which angered one of the bouncers". According to the CBS News report, at least 10 people followed Henderson out of the bar, including a bouncer and another employee. The mob allegedly beat Henderson and left him unconscious in the street.

The two men charged with murder are a 32-year-old British bouncer of Serbian origin and a Greek employee of the bar. Six other Serbian men were also arrested in connection to the case, the BBC reported.

A GoFundMe page raising money to bring Henderson's body back home has raised more than $41,000 as of Monday (10 July) evening.