Washington DC gym shooting: gunman dead after killing one, wounding four
A gunman opened fire in a gym inside a Logan Circle apartment building, killing one man and injuring four others before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Gunman identified after deadly shooting at Washington DC apartment gym
A 55-year-old man opened fire inside a gym in a Washington DC apartment building on Thursday morning, killing one person and wounding four others before barricading himself in his apartment and dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bbc.com reports.
The victim, James Stewart, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene. Four others were taken to local hospitals, with one remaining in a critical condition, according to police.
The shooting took place at a gym inside an apartment building in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, roughly a mile north of the White House. The suspect was identified as Matt Wade Lambert.
Lambert barricaded himself in one of the building's apartments after the initial shooting. Police negotiators were on the phone with him when they heard a gunshot and he stopped responding. Officers forced their way into the apartment and found him with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police commander Carroll said.
While barricaded, Lambert "did fire through the door at officers at least on two occasions," Carroll said. Police also believe a fire was set inside the apartment, though it was contained. Authorities recovered three firearms from Lambert's apartment. He was a registered gun owner, police said.
Carroll noted that investigators are still working to establish the exact timeline and Lambert's motivation. "We believe there was some sort of a conflict with the apartment building, but we don't have much more than that," he said.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser described the incident as a "senseless act of gun violence" and confirmed that the White House had been briefed.
A BBC producer, Jonathan Csapo, who lives in the building, said a fire alarm sounded before the shooting escalated. As he exited through a fire escape, he heard gunshots at close range.
"I could see the smoke, I could see the flash. We just all started running. That was our first instinct," Csapo said. He and others took cover behind a small brick structure near the building before a building manager guided them to a safe room inside. "And then everybody started screaming," he added.
Michael Carney, who was using a treadmill at the Vida Fitness gym when the shooting began, told the Washington Sun he initially heard "one pop" and assumed an exercise ball had burst. He then saw a victim on the floor who had been shot. "Everyone was kind of just hiding behind planters and stuff," he said. Once outside, Carney reported hearing five to ten additional shots appearing to come from a nearby alley.
Another witness told the Washington Sun she heard "an enormous, loud thing" inside the fitness centre and more shots outside after being evacuated. "I thought something had crashed or fallen," she said. "I didn't know it was a gunshot until later."
Authorities said the investigation into the precise sequence of events and Lambert's motive remains ongoing.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)