California city councillor set on fire
Lee Volger, a councilman in Danville City, Virginia, suffered serious burns after he was attacked by a man at around 11.30am on Wednesday.
The man forced his way into the offices of Showcase Magazine, where he worked, and drenched Mr Volger in gasoline.
While trying to run away, Mr Volger was set on fire by the attacker, according to horrified onlookers and law enforcement.
Following the incident he was airlifted to a specialist burns hospital. The full extent of his injuries is not known.
Police identified the alleged attacker as Shotsie Hayes, 29, who was arrested as he fled the scene in a car.
'An individual forced his way into our office carrying a five gallon bucket of gasoline, and poured the gasoline on Lee. Lee attempted to flee,' Andrew Brooks, owner at Showcase Magazine said.
'The individual followed him and set him on fire. Lee identified his attacker as a man named Shotsie Hayes.
'This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. You do not have the right as a human being to get upset [at] someone enough to lash out and attempt to harm them in any way, much less this way.'
James Buckner, the vice-mayor of Danville, told ABC13: 'Please keep our colleague and our brother in your prayers.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
‘No evidence of violence' after Irish woman found dead on boat in New York
There is no evidence of violence in the death of an Irish fashion designer who was found on a boat at a yacht club on Long Island, New York police have said. A post-mortem examination of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra 'did not show evidence of violence' and her cause of death requires further examination, Suffolk County Police Department said in a statement. Advertisement Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club in the early hours of Tuesday. She was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. The founder of fashion brand East x East was originally from Co Carlow but lived in Manhattan. Advertisement A statement from Suffolk County Police Department said: 'East Hampton Town Police responded to a 911 call from a man reporting a woman unconscious on a boat docked at the Montauk Yacht Club, on Star Island Road, at approximately 12am. 'Good Samaritans attempted to perform CPR on the woman. 'Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, of Manhattan, was pronounced dead on the boat by first responders. 'The preliminary investigation and exam were inconclusive regarding the cause of death, which will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office.' Advertisement
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Six in 10 young people fear becoming victims of violent crime
Six in 10 young people fear they could become victims of violence in their communities, a new study has found. The poll of 1,338 adults aged 18 to 30 revealed that 61 per cent were concerned about violent crime where they lived, irrespective of their political allegiance. Sixty-seven per cent of both Labour and Reform UK voters said they feared becoming victims of violence in their areas. The Adam Smith Institute, which commissioned the research, said the findings were a 'wake-up call' about a 'generation that feels increasingly unsafe in their own homes'. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of violent offences reported to police has increased over the past decade, although the ONS says this is largely the result of better recording of crime by police. Knife crime has also risen since the Covid pandemic to near record levels, with younger people disproportionately more likely to be victims. The British crime survey, which measures people's actual experience of crime, shows that violence has steadily declined over the past decade by 36 per cent to some 1.1 million incidents of violence with or without injury. However, this has not changed young people's perception of violent crime as having increased. 'Violent crime, from knife attacks to robberies, is no longer seen as an isolated issue affecting certain parts of the country; it is a pervasive threat that cuts across ethnic and political lines,' said the Adam Smith Institute. 'For many, the perception that crime is rising and that public safety is deteriorating is only reinforced by the government's failure to tackle these issues effectively. When young people across the political spectrum agree on the same fear, it's clear that Britain's public safety crisis can no longer be ignored.' Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said: 'Successive Labour and Conservative governments have run down our criminal justice system and left Britons to pay the price. We now live in a country where violent criminals and sex offenders receive shockingly short sentences, while ordinary citizens are prosecuted for social media posts. 'Only Reform UK will invest in our police force, enforce zero-tolerance policing and restore proper justice, where the punishment truly fits the crime.' Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Young people often bear the brunt of some crime types, such as knife crime and phone snatches. Crime has gone up under Labour and Labour has cut police numbers, with more cuts coming this year. 'Labour won't properly back tactics like stop and search which are proven to make streets safer. And in London, Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan has completely lost control of crime, is presiding over crashing declines in police numbers and is shutting police stations. Labour is letting young people – and everyone – down on crime.' Emma Schubart, the data and insights manager at the Adam Smith Institute, said: 'Our findings should be a wake-up call for anyone still in denial about the state of public safety in the UK. 'When 61 per cent of young Britons, across all backgrounds and political affiliations, are genuinely afraid of violent crime in their communities, we have a serious problem. And the numbers don't lie: knife crime is soaring, robberies are up, and violent crime is no longer just an urban issue, it's everywhere. 'The fact that this crisis is being ignored or dismissed by politicians, particularly those who prefer to label concerned citizens as far-Right, only adds fuel to the fire. People are fed up. This is a generation living in fear, and it's time for the Government to stop playing political games and take action. Enough is enough.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'No one should live in fear of being a victim of violent crime. We are determined to make our streets safer, using every tool available to prevent harm and bring offenders to justice. 'We are investing in frontline policing, expanding Violence Reduction Units, and supporting early intervention programmes that steer young people away from crime. Through targeted enforcement and community-led prevention, we are working to build safer streets and protect communities across the UK. 'This will be further supported by an extra 13,000 neighbourhood officers across England and Wales by the end of this Parliament and providing the police with a £1.2 billion increase in funding this year.'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Big Brother star bought petrol for Molotov cocktail before it was hurled at reveller's head outside bar
A BIG Brother contestant bought petrol for a Molotov cocktail that was hurled at a reveller's head outside a bar. Simone Reed, 36, drove with pal Carl Wild to a garage after threatening to firebomb a pub following a furious row. 3 3 3 She then watched as Wild, 34, threw the petrol bomb at David Brotton from just a few feet away. It hit him squarely in the head. Video showed the victim thrashing around on the ground, trying to put out flames engulfing his head. Wild was also seen storming into the bar and hitting out at people before smashing up furniture and ransacking the till. Three people were taken to hospital with injuries described as 'serious but not life-threatening'. Glamour model Reed, who also appeared on X Factor, wept in court yesterday as she admitted encouraging or assisting arson. She was given bail with a home curfew between 7pm and 5am. Weeks after the attack she posed for bikini shots wearing the electronic tag used to monitor her. Teesside crown court heard the horror had unfolded in Redcar, North Yorks, in February after two groups of men clashed. One onlooker said: 'It was completely terrifying.' Reed, of Eaglescliffe, Teesside, was in Big Brother in 2017. Her barrister said she did not intend for anyone to be injured. Wild, of Redcar, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and aggravated burglary. Lee Wild, 37, also of Redcar, admitted causing fear of violence. All three will be sentenced in October.
