Virginia councilman Lee Vogler was attacked and set on fire Wednesday by an assailant armed with 5-gallon container of accelerant.
The assault occurred around 11:30 a.m. at the Danville offices of Showcase Magazine where Vogler works, according to the magazine’s owner Andrew Brooks.
“Lee attempted to flee, ran to the front of the building… the individual followed him and set him on fire,” the rattled owner said in a video posted on Facebook.
Brooks added that Vogler was conscious after the assault and airlifted to a burn center in Lynchburg for treatment. The extent of his injuries and current condition weren’t immediately known.
Vogler’s attacker was identified Wednesday afternoon as 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes. He was arrested several blocks from the incident after witnesses provided a description of the suspect and his vehicle, according to Danville police.
“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,” cops said in a media release.
It’s unclear how Hayes and Vogler knew other, or what alleged issues motivated the attack. Neither the councilman nor the magazine could be reached for comment.
Vogler’s LinkedIn page describes him as a four-term councilman who also serves as the youngest Vice Mayor in Danville’s history. He’s also a former Danville Kiwanis Club president and a member of Compassion Christian Church, according to his profile.
Danville’s information page says Vogler became the city’s youngest-ever council member when he was elected to that post in 2012 when he was 24 years old.
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