A Virginia city councilman was hospitalized with serious burns Tuesday after a man allegedly poured gasoline on him and set him on fire in a targeted attack outside his workplace.
Danville police say 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes entered the Main Street office of Showcase Magazine just after 11:30 a.m. carrying a five-gallon bucket of gasoline. Authorities allege Hayes doused Councilman Lee Vogler with the fuel before igniting it as Vogler attempted to flee the building.
Vogler, 38, who has served four terms on the Danville City Council, was airlifted to a burn center in Lynchburg after receiving emergency treatment at the scene. According to his business partner, Andrew Brooks, Vogler was conscious, speaking, and able to identify his attacker before transport.
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“An individual forced his way into our office… and poured [gasoline] on Lee,” Brooks said in a video posted to Facebook. “Lee tried to escape, ran to the front of the building — the individual followed him and set him on fire.”
Brooks, who co-owns the media and marketing company with Vogler, became emotional as he described the horrific scene. “This kind of senseless violence has to stop,” he said. “Lee is a brother to me — one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.”
Hayes fled the scene in a vehicle but was quickly located and arrested by police. He remains in custody, with charges expected to follow.
Investigators say the attack was personal and not politically motivated. “This was not a random act,” the Danville Police Department said in a statement. “The suspect and the victim were known to each other, and this incident stemmed from a private dispute.”
Vogler has served on the city council for more than a decade and is widely known in the community both for his public service and his work in media.
Danville police are urging anyone with information to contact them at (434) 799-6510.
