A man who allegedly drenched a Virginia city councilman in gasoline and ignited him on fire Wednesday told police he intended for the attack to be deadly, according to charging documents.
Danville City Council member Lee Vogler, 39, was working at Showcase Magazine, where he serves as sales director, when Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29, of Danville, allegedly forced his way into the building, poured a five-gallon bucket of gasoline on Vogler, and set him on fire, according to the Danville Police Department.
Vogler identified Hayes during the attack, helping authorities make a quick arrest a few blocks away after Hayes fled the scene, police said.
Hayes later told police he intended for Vogler to perish in the fire, according to a report from the Associated Press. The court records were first reported by the Danville Register and Bee.
Shotsie Michael Buck-Hayes is accused of setting Danville, Va., Councilman Lee Vogler on fire on July 30, 2025. (Danville Police Department; @leevogler via Instagram)
“As anyone who knows him would expect, he is facing this challenge the same way he’s faced every obstacle in his life—with courage, determination, and an unbreakable spirit. Lee is a fighter,” Blair Vogler wrote. “As his wife, I’ve stood beside him through the highs and lows, and I can attest to the integrity with which he serves. Beyond the headlines and the public moments, there is a man who deeply loves his family, city, and its people.”
Showcase Magazine, Vogler’s office, and Hayes’ attorney, Edward Lavado, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
