A Virginia city councilman was brutally set on fire by a deranged attacker who stormed into his workplace carrying gallons of gasoline, igniting the lawmaker in a horrifying assault on Wednesday morning.
Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler was reportedly doused with a five-gallon bucket of gasoline and set ablaze after Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29, forced his way into the offices of Showcase Magazine, a local monthly publication, at around 11:30 a.m., according to the Danville Police Department and the magazine’s publisher, Andrew Brooks.
Despite being engulfed in flames, Vogler, 38, managed to flee the office and run toward the front of the building, but the attacker pursued him and continued the brutal attack by setting him on fire again.
“This kind of senseless violence has to end,” Brooks said emotionally in a video posted on Facebook Wednesday morning. He recounted the terrifying moment when Hayes “forced his way” into their offices and drenched the councilman with a flammable liquid.
“You do not have the right, as a human being, to become so upset with someone that you lash out and try to harm them—especially in such a horrific way.”
The extent of Vogler’s injuries remains unclear, but Brooks noted that he was awake and alert after the terrifying attack and was being transported to a burn center in Lynchburg.
City Councilman Lee Vogler is currently being airlifted to a hospital in North Carolina.
Hayes, a Danville resident, initially fled the horrific scene but was apprehended in his vehicle just a few blocks away from where he allegedly set the local politician on fire, according to police.
The deranged arsonist is now in police custody, with charges pending.
Authorities confirmed that Vogler and Hayes know each other but emphasized that the attack was rooted in a personal dispute unrelated to Vogler’s role as a councilman or his political affiliation.
He is currently in police custody and is reported to have known Vogler prior to the attack.
Authorities stated the attack stemmed from a personal matter.
“Our prayers are with Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler, who was violently attacked at his workplace earlier today,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin posted on X.
“We pray for Lee’s swift recovery and for peace throughout the Danville community.”
Vogler was first elected to the Danville City Council in May 2012, becoming the youngest person ever to hold the position at age 24, according to his biography.
Vogler has served on the Danville City Council since his election in May 2012.
The four-term councilman graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and currently serves as the managing partner of Andrew Brooks Media Group.
He also serves on the Virginia Small Business Commission, a position to which Governor Youngkin appointed him in July 2022, according to Vogler’s LinkedIn profile.
The investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
