Virginia councilman doused with gas and set on fire: Report

Virginia politics was rocked this week after one of the state’s elected officials suffered a nightmarish attack at his office at the hands of what was described as an “unhinged man.”

According to the Daily Mail, Danville City Councilman J. Lee Vogler, 38, was attacked with a five-gallon bucket of gasoline before being set ablaze by a person called Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29.

The startling attack happened at the Showcase Magazine HQ, according to the publication’s owner, Andrew Brooks.

Notably, the attack wasn’t apparently politically related, as the two people actually knew each other, with authorities saying the attack happened as a result of a “personal matter.”

What’s going on?

Not many details are known about the attack and what, exactly, motivated it. However, it was noted that Hayes’ wife, Mary Alice Buck-Hayes, had filed for divorce just two weeks prior to the attack.

Hayes had been married since 2021, according to the report.

The Daily Mail noted:

No details have been shared on the alleged ‘personal’ matter between Vogler and Hayes or how the two men know one another.

Investigators have yet to comment on any mental health issues that Hayes may have been suffering and whether the divorce may have caused him to spiral out of control.

Apparently, after dumping the gasoline on Vogler, Hayes attempted to flee. He ran to the front of the publication’s building, which is where he was chased before he set Vogler on fire.

The injuries were severe enough to warrant Vogler being medically airlifted to Central Lynchburg General Hospital, where he was described as “awake and talking.”

Virginia city councilman set on fire by maniac who dumped 5-gallon bucket of gas on him https://t.co/ekN4h8KXTi pic.twitter.com/JsBqXNshh5

— New York Post (@nypost) July 30, 2025

Social media reacts

Users across social media weighed in on the brazen attack, with many wondering if the situation falls under a “crime of passion.”

“WTF is the matter with people today. Dislike someone – yes. Set them on fire – NO!! We have lost all sense of common decency,” one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, “Who are these criminals. Jail time with no parole.I don’t want to guess who they are but I would be 98% correct.”

Police confirmed that charges against Hayes are forthcoming.

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