One Dead and Four Injured After Gunman Opens Fire in Washington Neighbourhood Near White House

Image Credit: REUTERS

A shooting in Washington, DC, near the White House has left one person dead and four others injured after a gunman opened fire in the city’s Logan Circle neighbourhood on Thursday, November 12. The suspect later died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after barricading himself inside a nearby apartment, bringing an end to a major police operation that prompted school lockdowns and forced residents to avoid the area.

The shooting began shortly before 8am in the 1500 block of 15th Street Northwest, approximately one mile north of the White House. According to police, officers responding to reports of an active shooter found five people with gunshot wounds. One victim, identified as 46-year-old James Stuart, was pronounced dead at the scene, while two women and two men were taken to hospital. One of the injured victims was reported to be in critical condition.

Authorities identified the suspect as 55-year-old Matt Wade Lambert, a doctor who lived in an apartment building close to the initial shooting. Investigators said he first shot Stuart inside a nearby VIDA Fitness gym before moving outside and firing at other people. He subsequently barricaded himself inside his apartment as heavily armed police officers and SWAT teams surrounded the building. Police later entered the property and found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Three firearms believed to have been used in the attack were recovered from the apartment.

Investigators are examining a possible connection between the shooting and a long-running dispute Lambert had with the building’s homeowners’ association over alleged mould, moisture and water damage in his apartment. Court records indicate that he had filed a lawsuit over the conditions, claiming the problems had made his home uninhabitable. The legal dispute was still ongoing, although authorities have not established a definitive motive for the attack.

The incident triggered a large security response, with streets surrounding the building cordoned off and nearby schools placed on lockdown. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted local police with the investigation. Witnesses described hearing several gunshots before seeing emergency vehicles and armed officers fill the neighbourhood.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed sadness over the loss of life, describing the incident as a senseless act of gun violence. Police say investigations are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack, which unfolded in a residential and commercial neighbourhood within walking distance of the US presidential residence.