James Stuart, known to friends and colleagues as Jimmy, was simply going about his day when his life was cut short in a shooting inside a Washington, D.C., fitness center. The 46-year-old building manager was killed Thursday morning, November 12, after a gunman opened fire at VIDA Fitness in the city’s Logan Circle neighborhood. What makes the tragedy even more disturbing is that investigators believe he may have been specifically targeted because of a long-running dispute involving the condominium building where he worked.
Police identified the suspected gunman as Dr. Matt Wade Lambert, 55, an emergency physician who lived in the Metropole condominium building connected to the gym. Authorities believe Lambert shot Stuart inside the fitness center before returning to his seventh-floor apartment and opening fire on other people from his balcony.
Four additional people were wounded during the attack. They included two men and two women. All four were taken to nearby hospitals, with one reported to be in critical condition. The other three suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
For those who knew Stuart, the news was devastating. He was described by his employer, EJF Real Estate Services, as a respected and beloved member of the team. Company president Scott Burka said Stuart had been with the organization for 13 years and was far more than just a colleague.
“Jimmy was more than a colleague; he was part of the fabric of this company,” Burka said while expressing the company’s grief over his death. He also extended condolences to Stuart’s family and everyone who loved him.
Investigators believe the shooting was connected to a dispute between Lambert and the condominium association over problems inside his apartment. Lambert had reportedly complained about mold, moisture and water damage in his seventh-floor penthouse. He also accused building management of failing to properly address the problems.
The disagreement had moved into the courts. Lambert filed a civil lawsuit against the homeowners association in March 2025, claiming the conditions inside his apartment had become unacceptable. His attorney, Joel Braithwaite, said his client had spent roughly $300,000 on legal and other professional fees connected to the dispute.
However, the attorney said he was shocked when he learned about the shooting. He described Lambert as an emergency room physician who had spent years helping people and said their last conversations had given him no reason to expect such violence. Lambert was also reportedly preparing to start a new job the following Monday.
After the shooting inside the gym, Lambert returned to his apartment and barricaded himself inside. Police said he fired at four additional people from his balcony and later fired through his apartment door while officers tried to communicate with him.
The situation became even more serious when Lambert broke a gas line inside his apartment and started a fire. Building sprinklers helped contain the flames as police negotiators continued speaking with him for about an hour.
Officers eventually heard another gunshot. They forced their way into the apartment and found Lambert suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police recovered three firearms from the apartment.
Authorities said the initial shooting unfolded within roughly five minutes. The incident brought a major police response to Logan Circle, with several federal agencies assisting local officers. Nearby streets were closed, residents were told to stay away from the area, and schools nearby went into lockdown or alert status.
For Stuart’s family, friends and colleagues, the questions surrounding the shooting cannot take away the loss of a man they knew and cared about. A disagreement over a building, a lawsuit and complaints about property conditions ended with an innocent man’s life being taken.
Whatever the outcome of that dispute might have been, it should never have ended this way. James Stuart was a colleague, a friend and a loved member of his community. His family is now left to deal with a loss that no legal battle or property disagreement could ever justify.