City councilman in Virginia set on fire in targeted attack

A city councilman in Danville, Virginia, was set on fire during a targeted attack at his workplace, leaving him seriously injured and hospitalized, according to police. A suspect has been taken into custody.

The incident happened at around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Showcase Magazine in the 700 block of Main Street, where Councilman Lee Vogler is employed. Danville Police said the suspect entered the office, confronted Vogler, and doused him with a flammable liquid.

The two exited the building, at which point the suspect set Vogler on fire. He was airlifted to the Burn Unit at UNC and was reported to be awake and talking after the attack.

The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes of Danville, was located and arrested several blocks away without incident. He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding and is being held in the Danville City Jail without bond.

Police said Vogler and the suspect knew each other and that the attack stemmed from a personal matter unrelated to Vogler’s role on the city council or any political affiliation. No further details have been released.

Danville is an independent city in southern Virginia, located along the North Carolina border, about 140 miles southwest of Richmond.