DC Gym Shooting: Doctor in Mould Feud Kills Building Manager, Shoots 4 From Penthouse in Under 5 Minutes

WASHINGTON — A doctor locked in a long legal fight over mould in his penthouse condo shot and killed his building's manager inside a busy gym in Washington's Logan Circle neighbourhood, then opened fire on four more people from his patio, police said. He later killed himself as negotiators spoke with him by phone.

The rampage on Thursday morning lasted less than five minutes, authorities said. It unfolded about a mile north of the White House, in one of the capital's most popular residential and dining districts. Police swarmed the area and nearby schools were placed on lockdown.

"This whole incident took place in less than five minutes," said Jeffery Carroll, interim chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Police identified the gunman as Matt Lambert, 55, a doctor who lived in a seventh-floor penthouse unit in the building above the gym. The man killed was James Stuart, 46, the building's manager.

Gunfire inside a crowded gym

The shooting began shortly after 8 a.m. inside a VIDA Fitness gym on the ground floor of a building near 15th and P streets NW, police said.

Lambert shot Stuart inside the gym, police said, then went back up to his condo and fired from his patio at people below. Four people were wounded. Three had injuries that were not life-threatening, and the fourth was in critical condition by late Thursday afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police Department sent out an urgent alert as the shooting unfolded. "CRITICAL ALERT: MPD is on the scene of an ACTIVE SHOOTING in the area of 15th and P Street, Northwest," the department wrote on social media, adding that its Emergency Response Team was on scene.

James Spellman was among about 50 people in the gym when the shots rang out.

"Within seconds there was a man who fell to the ground, and a pool of blood came out," Spellman said. He said the man "had been shot in the neck."

Anthony Mirones, who was in the gym's cardio area, described a scene of panic. "The people in cardio had to step over the body," he said. A fire alarm sounded and many gym-goers ran for the exits.

A resident of a nearby apartment said he "heard about five bangs" and at first thought the noise was construction work.

Standoff ends with suicide

After the shooting, Lambert barricaded himself inside his apartment. SWAT teams took positions on a nearby roof and on the ground as officers surrounded the building.

Police negotiators were speaking with Lambert by phone when officers heard gunshots, Carroll said. When they went in, they found he had shot himself.

Lambert was armed with three guns, Carroll said. Police said he also cut a natural gas line connected to his fireplace and started a fire, which the building's sprinkler system quickly contained.

Carroll said the suspect did not have any firearms registered in the District of Columbia. Investigators have not said publicly how he got the weapons.

Years-long dispute over mould

Authorities said the attack appeared to stem from a bitter, long-running dispute between Lambert and his condominium's management.

Carroll said the dispute was "regarding maintenance issues, mould and the like," adding: "We believe it's related to that."

Lambert had lived in the building since 2017, according to his lawyer. Property records show he bought the unit in September 2016 for nearly $1.1 million.

Court filings show Lambert sued the building's management, alleging he had been unable to enjoy his penthouse since 2024 because of mould and moisture problems. He claimed the problems began after a contractor worked on the building's exterior. The case was still going, and Lambert had spent more than $300,000 pursuing it, according to his lawyer.

Lambert also posted photos and an engineering report about the condition of his unit on a social media account. He described the account online as "my manifesto."

He had told another resident that he knew Stuart's daily routine, according to the AP account of the investigation.

Lawyer 'deeply shaken'

Joel Braithwaite, Lambert's lawyer in the condo dispute, said he was "deeply shaken and saddened" by the violence. He said the condo had come to resemble a "war zone" because of the damage his client complained about.

But Braithwaite said he could not explain what led to the shooting.

"I don't think there's any sense to be made," he said. "I can't give you that closure."

Mayor calls attack 'senseless'

Mayor Muriel Bowser said she was "devastated" by the loss of life in what she called a "senseless act of gun violence." Bowser said the White House had been briefed on the shooting.

The Justice Department said it was offering resources to victims of the attack.

The block where the shooting happened is usually busy on weekday mornings. Besides the VIDA Fitness gym, it is home to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, apartment buildings and a Whole Foods supermarket. Police cordoned off much of the 15th Street block for hours as investigators worked the scene.

Logan Circle, known for its Victorian rowhouses, restaurants and nightlife, is home to many young professionals and families. The shooting left residents and business owners shaken in a neighbourhood that sits within walking distance of downtown Washington and many federal buildings.

Questions remain

Investigators are still piecing together the timeline and how Lambert carried out the attack. Police have not released the names of the four wounded victims or said whether any of them were targeted.

Authorities have also not said whether there had been earlier threats or warning signs reported to the building's management or to police before Thursday's shooting.

The attack is the latest in a string of high-profile shootings in the nation's capital in recent years. That includes a shooting near the White House last November in which two National Guard members were shot, one fatally, and incidents near the White House earlier this year.

Gun violence remains a central issue in Washington politics, where federal and local leaders have clashed over crime and policing.

For Stuart's family and the residents who watched the violence unfold, the focus on Friday was on the man who managed their building and the neighbours still recovering in hospital.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.