Danville councilman, who’s helped revitalize the city, set on fire in attack

A Danville City Councilman was set on fire as part of an attack that occurred at his place of employment.

Police, fire, and rescue professionals responded to the site of a heinous crime in Danville on Wednesday. Shortly after 11 a.m., Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler, the director of sales at Showcase Magazine, was attacked and set on fire. 

The attack occurred at the publication office, known for its distribution of uplifting stories from Southwest Virginia and nearby North Carolina. 

The owner and publisher of the local magazine, Andrew Brooks, took to social media hours after the incident to share the news of what happened—and to provide updates on the 38-year-old husband and father of two young children.

Brooks noted in an Instagram reel that an individual “forced his way into our office, carrying a five-gallon bucket of gasoline, and poured the gasoline on Lee.” Vogler attempted to flee; the suspect followed him and set the city councilman on fire.

Vogler identified the suspect, and police arrested a man matching the provided name and description several blocks from where the incident occurred. At the time of publication, 29-year-old suspect Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes was in police custody. Hayes was held in the Danville City Jail under no bond and charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.

“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,” a Danville Police Department media release noted. 

Following the attack, Vogler was airlifted to a burn center for treatment.

“This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. 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,” Brooks said in the reel.

Lee Vogler, the voice of the #ComebackCity 

First elected to Danville City Council in May 2012 at age 24, Vogler became the youngest person to ever hold that position. 

His idealistic vision for Danville emerged as his civic leadership took root, championing the idea that the River City—once known for heritage linking the district to tobacco and textile—could re-emerge into a new heyday. Vogler coined the term #ComebackCity, and the moniker stuck.

Vogler remained vocal in city council meetings when talk of a casino emerged, often touting the economic boost the establishment could bring to the area. Caesars Virginia operated out of a temporary structure starting on May 15, 2023, and opened its permanent resort destination on Dec. 17, 2024. At the grand opening, Vogler was in attendance when five-time NBA Champion Dennis Rodman placed the ceremonial first bet.

Granted, Vogler’s ideas for growth in the River District didn’t begin or end with the casino. 

In 2018, Vogler tagged The Alexander Company in a tweet mentioning Danville’s “White Mill” property. The former textile mill sat vacant and in disrepair—until the councilman contacted the Wisconsin-based developer. The former Dan River Mills site recently opened as Dan River Falls, an apartment opportunity steeped in iconic local history. 

Showing support

While Vogler has long been known for sparking revitalization across Danville, the community now finds itself rallying around him in light of the act committed on Wednesday. 

Hundreds shared and commented on Showcase Magazine’s video upload about the incident on Facebook within hours of the publication sharing the news. 

This is a developing story.

Update: This article previously stated that Vogler received treatment at a burn center in Lynchburg. New information suggests he was either treated or transferred elsewhere.