A doctor’s fight with his condo building ends with its manager shot dead in the gym downstairs and five more wounded in Washington
A 55-year-old doctor shot six people in Washington's Logan Circle neighbourhood on Thursday morning, killing the manager of the apartment building he lived in, police say. He then fired from his seventh-floor balcony and held off police for about two hours before he died. Police say the attack grew out of his long-running conflict with the building's management.
Three things to know
- James Stuart, 46, the building manager, was shot dead inside the VIDA Fitness gym on 15th Street NW, about 1.6 kilometres north of the White House. Police believe he was targeted.
- Six people were shot in all, police said on Friday, revising an earlier count of five. A woman shot in the head is in a critical condition.
- The gunman, Matthew Lambert, had sued his building over water damage and mould in his penthouse. His lawyer says the dispute had cost him roughly US$300,000.
A man who had spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting his own apartment building shot dead its manager in the gym on the ground floor on Thursday morning, Washington time, then opened fire on people in the street from his balcony, police say.
Six people were shot in Logan Circle, a busy residential neighbourhood about 1.6 kilometres north of the White House. James Stuart, 46, the manager of the building, was killed inside the VIDA Fitness gym at 1517 15th Street NW. Police believe he was singled out.
Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department said on Friday that six people had been shot, not five as first reported. A woman shot in the head is in a critical condition at George Washington University Hospital. The other injuries are not considered life-threatening.
What happened?
Police received the first call just before 8am local time on Thursday (9pm AWST) and say officers arrived within 30 seconds. Interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said the gunman shot Mr Stuart inside the gym, went back into the building and up to his seventh-floor apartment, and fired from his balcony at people below.
He then barricaded himself inside. Police say he broke a gas line in his fireplace and set a fire; sprinklers went off and firefighters contained it. For about two hours officers negotiated with him by phone while he fired through the apartment door at police twice. He died during those talks, and police said his death was a suicide.
Officers recovered a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun. Police said none were registered to him in Washington, and they do not yet know how he got them.
Who was the gunman?
Police named him as Matthew Lambert, 55, a medical doctor. Mr Carroll said most of his conversation with negotiators was about his conflicts with the building’s homeowners association.
Mr Lambert had sued the building over water, moisture and mould problems in his penthouse. His lawyer, Joel Braithwaite, said the fight had cost him roughly US$300,000 in legal and engineering fees. “There’s nothing I can say to justify any actions that took place,” Mr Braithwaite said.
Local councillor Brooke Pinto said the gunman had targeted someone he was in litigation with, calling the killing “so sad and so senseless”.
Who else responded?
The FBI, the ATF, the Secret Service, the US Marshals and US Park Police all responded. The Secret Service said none of the people it protects were involved. Streets were closed and nearby residents were told to shelter in place for much of the morning. VIDA Fitness has closed the gym until further notice.
If this story raises concerns for you, support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 (13YARN on 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
How we got here
The key moments that brought this story into focus. Open any moment for detail.
12 November 2026, just before 8am local timeShooting begins
James Stuart is shot dead in the VIDA Fitness gym; the gunman fires from his balcony and barricades himself in.
12 November 2026, about two hours laterStand-off ends
The gunman dies during negotiations with police.
13 November 2026Toll revised
Police say six people were shot, not five.
What happens next
Police are investigating how Mr Lambert obtained the three guns, none of which was registered to him in Washington. The five wounded people have not been named. VIDA Fitness has not said when its Logan Circle gym will reopen.
Sources
- VNN
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