A Virginia city councilman, Lee Vogler, was set on fire by a man with a gasoline-filled attack at his office, which was reportedly over a personal matter unrelated to his political work. The suspect, Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, was taken into custody, and the incident has been condemned by local officials and politicians. Vogler, a long-serving council member and community figure, is hospitalized with his condition unknown.
A Virginia city councilman, Lee Vogler, was attacked at his workplace, doused in gasoline, and set on fire by a suspect, Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, in an incident unrelated to his political role. Vogler was hospitalized, and Hayes was taken into custody. The attack is part of a concerning trend of violence against politicians in the U.S., though authorities stated it stemmed from a personal matter.
Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis was briefly detained during a traffic stop after a police officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming from his vehicle. Body camera footage shows Lewis handing over a blunt containing four grams of marijuana to the officer. He was then cited and released on the scene. The incident occurred in a city where the possession of marijuana up to an ounce has been decriminalized, reducing the penalty to just a $75 fine.
A city councilman in Rhode Island, Matthew Reilly, was caught sleeping behind the wheel of his car with a crack pipe in his hand. Police found a bag of cocaine at the scene. Reilly, who is an attorney, also resigned as chairman of the Cranston Republican Party. He says he relapsed due to a bad divorce.
Rhode Island City Councilman Matthew Reilly was arrested for drug possession after being found passed out in his car with a crack cocaine pipe in his hand. Police discovered cocaine and fentanyl in his car, along with drug paraphernalia. Reilly resigned from his position as councilman and chairman of the Cranston Republican Party. He admitted to relapsing after being clean for 13 years.
