A sixth person was confirmed shot on Thursday morning in Washington, DC, as police updated the casualty toll to one person killed and five wounded in an attack linked to a condo maintenance dispute, according to Al Jazeera.
Shooting Details and Victims
In an updated statement, the Metropolitan Police Department stated that investigators discovered a sixth victim, a woman, after officers initially located five other individuals. The woman was conscious and breathing with a non-life-threatening gunshot graze wound, and police reported that she self-treated the injury.
Two women and two men were transported to hospital while conscious and breathing. James Stuart, the 46-year-old manager of the building where the suspect resided, died at the scene. Authorities believe the suspect, a 55-year-old doctor identified as Matt Wade Lambert, targeted Stuart while he was doing a morning workout at the gym.
The shooting began shortly before 8:00 am local time (13:00 GMT) at a VIDA Fitness gym located in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, roughly a mile north of the White House. Police reported that Lambert shot Stuart inside the ground-floor gym before returning to his seventh-floor apartment to fire on people below from his patio, including individuals working at a construction site across the street. Authorities have not detailed the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the sixth victim, and interim police chief Jeffery Carroll noted that the entire incident unfolded in under five minutes.
Suspect Barricade and Dispute
Lambert subsequently barricaded himself inside his apartment and communicated with police negotiators over the phone. Police stated that he fired at least twice through the door while officers remained outside, though no officers sustained injuries. He also broke the gas line connected to his fireplace and ignited a fire, which was contained by the building’s sprinkler system.
Carroll explained that Lambert spent the majority of the conversation with negotiators discussing grievances with building management. While negotiators were communicating with the suspect, they heard a single gunshot, after which Lambert stopped responding. When tactical officers forced entry into the apartment, they discovered him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police reported recovering a shotgun, a rifle, and a handgun from inside the apartment, all of which were used in the attack. Court records cited by The Associated Press revealed that Lambert had filed a ongoing lawsuit alleging he could not enjoy his penthouse since 2024 due to mould, moisture, and water problems stemming from exterior building work. Lambert had shared details of the dispute, including photographs and an engineering report, on an X account named ofMiceandMold. His attorney, Joel Braithwaite, told reporters on Thursday that the condo where Lambert lived since 2017 resembled a warzone and that Lambert had spent upwards of $300,000 on the litigation.
