DANVILLE, Va. (AP) — A serious incident occurred in Virginia when a city councilman was attacked at his office. A man burst into the local magazine office, poured gasoline on the councilman, and set him on fire. Authorities have indicated that the attack stemmed from a personal dispute and was not politically motivated.
The victim, Lee Vogler, 38, a long-standing member of the Danville City Council, was airlifted to a burn unit in North Carolina. Police reported that the attacker, 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, forcibly entered Vogler’s office at Showcase Magazine, confronted him, then pursued him outside and set him on fire.
Hayes was arrested at the scene on charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.
Investigators emphasize that the motive was personal and not connected to Vogler’s public office duties. Nonetheless, the assault has heightened concerns about the rising violence and harassment faced by elected officials nationwide, as the line between their public service and private lives becomes increasingly blurred.
Andrew Scott Brooks, the magazine’s publisher, condemned the attack, stating, “There is no justification for such violence. This needs to end.”
Brooks noted that two employees were present during the incident. Police and witnesses described how Vogler, after being drenched in gasoline, ran through the office shouting for assistance. A colleague urgently called 911 while Hayes pursued Vogler outside and ignited the flames.
“Our door was locked,” Brooks explained. “They forcibly entered the office and targeted Lee. The next thing, Lee was racing through the office covered in gasoline, screaming for our coworker to call 911.”
Hayes was being held without bond in the Danville City Jail, police said. A message left with a phone number listed for the suspect wasn’t immediately returned. A message was left with the Danville Public Defender Office asking whether they will be representing the suspect.
Showcase Magazine is a monthly publication about southwest Virginia and North Carolina. The magazine shares a small two-story building with several other businesses in Danville.
A woman who answered the door at the Vogler residence and identified herself as the sister of Vogler’s wife declined to comment. A man at an address listed for Hayes also declined comment.
Elected officials and politicians throughout Virginia quickly condemned the attack.
“Our prayers go out to Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler who was violently attacked at his workplace earlier today,” Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “We pray for a swift recovery for Lee and for peace to be on the entire Danville community.”
Brooks said he had no indication that Vogler felt unsafe at work or elsewhere. Vogler is a salesperson at the magazine, though at the small-city media company, everyone does a bit a bit of everything.
“He makes sales, but he also writes stories about our community,” Brooks said.
Brooks said that comes naturally to Vogler.
“His passion is being on the city council,” Brooks said. “He loves when people call them with a concern that he can help them with, and he has been an asset to the community for much of his adult life. He was young when he got on city council, early 20s. He has made that his life.”
Brooks said outside of work, Vogler is dedicated parent to his two kids.
“He’s the one who coaches their sports teams,” Brooks said.
Danville is about 140 miles (227 kilometers) north of Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Diaz reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writers Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, North Carolina, and John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report.
