A shooting in Washington, DC, left one person dead and four others injured after a gunman opened fire inside a gym in the Logan Circle neighbourhood. The incident triggered a major police response, forced nearby buildings into lockdown and disrupted activity in the area north of the White House.
Police said the shooting began shortly before 8 a.m. on Thursday at the Vida gym on 15th Street Northwest. The suspect allegedly shot a person inside the building before firing at others as he moved through the area. One victim died, while four others were taken for medical treatment. One of the injured victims was reported to be in critical condition.
Authorities identified the suspect as 55-year-old Matt Lambert, a doctor who lived in an apartment building above the gym. Police said he later barricaded himself inside his apartment, leading to a lengthy standoff with officers. Negotiators communicated with him for more than an hour before police entered the seventh-floor unit.
The suspect was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police. Officers recovered three firearms and gasoline from the apartment. Investigators believe the shooting may have been connected to a long-running dispute involving the building’s condominium association.
Lambert had previously filed a lawsuit against the association, alleging that water intrusion and mould had made his apartment unlivable. The association disputed his claims, and the legal dispute was still unresolved. Police are examining whether the disagreement played a direct role in the attack.
The shooting caused widespread disruption in the surrounding neighbourhood. Streets were closed, businesses and apartment buildings were placed under lockdown, and several schools were put on alert. Some government workers in nearby buildings were also told to shelter in place or move away from windows.
The response involved dozens of police vehicles and emergency crews. National Guard members who were already present in Washington as part of a federal crime-reduction operation also attended the scene.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, including the suspect’s movements and the events leading up to the attack.
