Man who burned a Virginia city councilman intended to kill him, police say

DANVILLE, Va. (AP) — Police say a man who doused a Virginia city councilman in gasoline and set him on fire told investigators he wanted the attack to be fatal, according to charging documents available Thursday.

Officials say the motive appears personal and unrelated to Lee Vogler’s work as a public official. After Wednesday’s attack, the 38-year-old father of two was flown by medical helicopter to a burn unit in North Carolina. The hospital hasn’t provided an update on his condition.

According to police, witnesses and Vogler himself, Shotsie Michael Buck-Hayes, 29, poured gasoline on the councilman after barging into his workplace at a local magazine. Buck-Hayes chased Vogler outside and ignited the gas, later telling police he intended for the flames to kill him, according to the documents.

Buck-Hayes has since been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding. Edward Lavado, an attorney representing him, declined to comment to The Associated Press on Thursday.

At the scene, Vogler was able to tell multiple witnesses that Buck-Hayes had burned him, according to the charging documents. The complaint doesn’t give details on how Buck-Hayes was taken into custody. The records were first reported by the Danville Register and Bee.

Vogler has served on the Danville City Council for more than a decade and is known as a fixture of the small city near the Virginia-North Carolina state line, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) north of Charlotte. The police documents list a Danville address for Buck-Hayes as well.

His wife, Blair Vogler, issued a statement Thursday thanking first responders for helping him and speaking about his public service.

“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,” the statement said. “Lee is a fighter.”

Andrew Scott Brooks, editor and publisher of Showcase Magazine, says the attacker forced his way into the office despite the door being locked and went straight for Vogler.

“The next thing, Lee is running through the office covered in gasoline, yelling for our officemate to call 911,” Brooks said Wednesday.

Buck-Hayes was being held without bail in the Danville City Jail, records show.