A dispute over alleged mold, water damage and problems inside a condominium is now at the center of an investigation into a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C. Police say 55-year-old Matt Wade Lambert opened fire inside VIDA Fitness in the Logan Circle neighborhood on November 12, killing building manager James Stuart, 46. He then went to his apartment balcony and shot four more people before barricading himself inside. The incident ended when Lambert died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after an hours-long police response.
Investigators believe Stuart was the person Lambert intended to target. The 46-year-old worked as the manager of the building where the gym was located, and police say the suspected shooter had an ongoing dispute with the property’s homeowners association. The disagreement reportedly involved complaints about mold, moisture and water damage inside Lambert’s condominium. Authorities are examining whether that dispute was the reason behind the attack.
The first report of gunfire came shortly before 8 a.m. near 15th and P streets NW. Officers reached the scene within about 30 seconds. Stuart was found inside the gym with fatal injuries. According to police, Lambert then moved back toward his apartment in the same building and began shooting at people from his seventh-floor balcony.
Four people were struck by the gunfire outside the building. The victims were identified by police as two men and two women, although their names had not been publicly released. All four were transported to hospitals. One remained in critical condition, while the other three suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police have not established whether Lambert knew any of them or whether they were deliberately targeted.
The violence unfolded while people were going about their normal morning routines. Gym members described hearing gunshots and rushing to find somewhere safe. Some ran out of the facility, while others took shelter in the basement behind a secured door. People nearby also scrambled for cover as gunfire came from the apartment balcony. What had been a busy morning in Logan Circle quickly turned into an emergency involving police, firefighters and medical crews.
Lambert eventually barricaded himself inside his apartment as officers surrounded the building. Police said he fired through the apartment door at responding officers at least twice. Negotiators spent roughly an hour attempting to get him to surrender. During the standoff, a fire broke out inside the apartment. Investigators said Lambert had broken a gas line connected to his fireplace, and firefighters later brought the blaze under control with help from the building’s sprinkler system.
The standoff ended after officers heard a gunshot inside the apartment. They forced entry and found Lambert with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police recovered a handgun, rifle and shotgun from the apartment. Authorities said the suspect had used all three firearms during the incident, and none was registered to him in Washington, D.C.
The legal dispute between Lambert and the condominium association dates back to March 2025, according to court records. Lambert had filed a civil lawsuit over alleged problems involving mold, moisture and water damage in his unit. The case remained unresolved when the shooting happened. Police have described the dispute as a possible connection to the attack, but investigators have not announced a final determination of motive.
The response involved officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and several federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Police closed nearby streets and ordered people in the area to remain indoors. Several schools also restricted movement while officers worked to secure the scene. The shelter-in-place order was eventually lifted after authorities confirmed that the immediate threat had ended.
VIDA Fitness announced that its Logan Circle location would remain closed until further notice. Mayor Muriel Bowser described the shooting as a senseless act of gun violence and expressed sympathy for those affected. Stuart’s employer, EJF Real Estate Services, also mourned his death, saying he had been part of the company for 13 years. His death, along with the injuries suffered by four others, has left a painful mark on the neighborhood. Investigators are still working to establish exactly what led Lambert to carry out the attack.