A gunman killed one person and wounded four others in a series of shootings in Washington DC on Thursday morning before fatally shooting himself inside his penthouse apartment.
The first shooting occurred around 8am at the VIDA Fitness centre in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, about 1.6 kilometres north of the White House. The suspect then fled and shot four other people.
Interim Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect killed himself while inside his apartment after speaking with police negotiators. One victim died at the gym, while another remained in critical condition.
Authorities preliminarily identified the gunman as Matt Lambert, a medical doctor involved in a dispute with his condominium building's management over mould, moisture and water problems in his seventh-floor penthouse. Court records show he filed a lawsuit last year, claiming he had been unable to use the apartment since 2024. The case remains ongoing, with mediation scheduled for next March.
Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed devastation over the loss of life, calling it a senseless act of gun violence.
The shootings prompted a massive police response, with SWAT teams deployed on the building's rooftop and surrounding streets. The area around 15th Street Northwest, including a church, residences and a Whole Foods store, was cordoned off, while nearby schools were locked down.
Witnesses said around 50 people were inside the gym when the shooting began. One victim was shot in the neck and died instantly. Several people fled after a fire alarm sounded.
Logan Circle previously witnessed an assault in August 2025, prompting President Donald Trump to deploy hundreds of National Guard members to the capital. The deployment continues.
