Doctor kills one, injures four in Washington gym shooting before dying in apartment standoff
Dr. Matt Lambert opened fire at the Vida Fitness gym in Washington, killing building manager James Stuart and wounding four others before fleeing to his apartment, where he later died from a self-inflicted gunshot during a police standoff.
A 55-year-old physician, Dr. Matt Lambert, entered the Vida Fitness gym near Logan Circle in Washington at about 8 a.m. ET on Thursday and opened fire, killing James Stuart, the building manager, and wounding four other people.
Lambert fled on foot to his seventh-floor apartment in the Metropole building, located about a mile from the White House, and began shooting at bystanders from his balcony. Police responded with a two-hour standoff before finding Lambert with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Metropolitan Police Department said Lambert used a handgun inside the gym, a rifle from his balcony, and a shotgun toward the end of the incident. Four injured victims, including construction workers from a nearby site, were taken to hospitals; one remains in critical condition.
Investigators have not disclosed a motive, but a police spokesperson noted that Lambert had been in a dispute with the condominium association over alleged water intrusion and other maintenance issues. Lambert’s anonymous X account had posted complaints about the apartment and referenced a “manifesto is an engineering report.”
Witnesses described the shooting as a sudden “loud pop” that sounded like a balloon, with about 50 people present in the gym at the time. Some gym members escaped through an emergency exit, while others sought shelter in a laundry room during a yoga class.
Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed that the White House was briefed on the incident. The shooting prompted a large police response, including SWAT units, helicopters, and National Guard members, and led to temporary road closures across the capital.
The incident also triggered a fire in the apartment building after Lambert broke a gas line, prompting alarms and sprinkler activation. The police chief said flames were visible on the exterior of the building.