Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler, 38, was set on fire Wednesday in what police say was a targeted personal attack at his place of work, Showcase Magazine.
According to a press release from the Danville Police Department, officers responded around 11:30 a.m. to the Main Street office after a man, later identified as Vogler, was doused with a flammable liquid and ignited outside his workplace.
He was airlifted to a regional hospital, and the extent of his injuries is unknown.
The suspect, Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29, of Danville, fled the scene but was arrested without incident nearby. Police said the assault stemmed from a personal matter and was not politically motivated.
“Based on the investigation at the time of this release, the victim and the suspect are known to each other and the attack stems from a personal matter not related to the victim’s position on Danville City Council or any other political affiliation,” DPD said in a statement.
Later Wednesday, Hayes was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding, according to ABC 13 in Virginia. He is being held at the Danville City Jail without bond.
“Please keep our colleague and our brother in your prayers,” Danville vice mayor James Buckner told ABC 13. Buckner also told the TV station that Vogler was flown by helicopter to the burn unit at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Newsweek has reached out to Vogler, Showcase Magazine and the Danville city manager’s office via email on Wednesday afternoon for comment.
Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler, 38, was set on fire Wednesday in what police say was a targeted personal attack at his place of work, Showcase Magazine.
Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler, 38, was set on fire Wednesday in what police say was a targeted personal attack at his place of work, Showcase Magazine.
Lee Vogler’s City Council Facebook page
Danville Magazine Reacts to Attack on Lee Vogler
According to a video posted by the publication on Facebook, the suspect entered the building and doused Vogler with a five-gallon bucket of gasoline before chasing him to the front of the office and igniting the fuel.
Andrew Brooks, the publisher and owner of the magazine, said in the Facebook video that Vogler is conscious and able to communicate. Brooks said he was being treated at the burn center in Lynchburg, Virginia.
“This type of senseless act of violence has to stop,” an emotional Brooks said in the video. “You do not have the right as a human being to get upset with someone enough to lash out and attempt to harm them, in any way, much less this way.”
Police are interviewing the Associate Publisher of Showcase Magazine, who witnessed the attack, Brooks said.
Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29, was charged on July 30, 2025, with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding following an attack on Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler.
Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29, was charged on July 30, 2025, with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding following an attack on Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler.
Danville Police Department
What to Know About Lee Vogler
Vogler has served on the city council since 2012 and is currently in a term running through 2029, according to the city of Danville’s website. Elected at age 24, he became the youngest person ever elected to the council.
Danville’s city council is a non-partisan body. Vogler has photos with prominent Republicans and Democrats on his Facebook page. In a post on Facebook, the Faith & Freedom Coalition referred to Vogler as a Republican.
A Danville native and Virginia Commonwealth University graduate, Vogler is managing partner at Andrew Brooks Media Group and involved in regional planning and economic development boards. He was named Virginia Local Legislator of the Year in 2017.
What People Are Saying
Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones said in a statement: “Today, our community was shaken by an unthinkable act of violence against Councilman Lee Vogler—our colleague, our friend, and someone we care about deeply. Lee is a member of our City Council family. And today, that family is hurting.”
The statement continued, “Our prayers are with Lee and his loved ones. We are grateful to our first responders and law enforcement for their swift action. Our Council is close. We’ve worked through challenges together—and now, we face this heartbreak together. Please continue to pray for Lee and his family. We’re standing with him—and with each other.”
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement: “Our prayers go out to Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler who was violently attacked at his workplace earlier today,” Youngkin said in a Facebook post. “We pray for a swift recovery for Lee and peace to be on the entire Danville community.”
The Faith & Freedom Coalition posted on Facebook: “Our hearts are heavy with the shocking news from Danville, Virginia. City Councilman Lee Vogler, a dedicated Republican leader and public servant who has served his community with faith-inspired commitment, was brutally attacked and set on fire with gasoline at his workplace. This senseless act of violence is a stark reminder of the rising threats facing those who stand for biblical values.”
“We ask all of our Faith & Freedom Coalition members to lift up Councilman Vogler and his family in prayer for healing, strength, and a full recovery. Let’s unite in faith to condemn such hatred and advocate for stronger protections for our communities and leaders.”
Updates: 7/30/25, 2:32 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 7/30/25, 3:34 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
Updates: 7/30/25, 5 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.