DC Gym Shooter Confessed to Building Manager Over Dispute

New details have emerged regarding the shooting that took place in the north-western part of Washington DC earlier this week. A manager at the residential building where the incident occurred shared that the shooter expressed anger about the living conditions in his unit and confessed to the killings during a brief conversation.

The violence unfolded on Thursday in the Logan Circle neighborhood, a location situated not far from the White House. The gunman killed one individual and wounded at least four others inside and around the condominium complex where he resided.

Police identified the suspect as Matt Lambert, a 55-year-old physician who had been engaged in a legal dispute with the building's management. The victim was James Stuart, a 46-year-old manager at the condominium complex.

According to law enforcement, Lambert fatally shot Stuart inside the building's gym just before 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. He then returned to his apartment and fired at four people from his balcony. All four victims were transported to the hospital, and as of Thursday, one remained in critical condition. Lambert subsequently barricaded himself inside his unit, where he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

On Friday morning, DC authorities announced the identification of an additional victim. The woman sustained a non-life-threatening graze wound from a gunshot.

Charelle Ferguson, another building manager, spoke with the Washington Post about a phone call she had with Lambert at approximately 9:00 a.m. that morning, roughly one hour after the shooting began. She was contacting residents to ensure their safety when he answered the phone.

Ferguson stated that Lambert told her he was exhausted by the mold and water damage in his apartment. She recalled him saying, “The only way people will pay attention, you have to do something.” During the call, he confessed to shooting the five people. Ferguson expressed her surprise, noting, “I never thought he’d do something like this.” She added that he had previously mentioned these issues to her and that she had been sympathetic to his concerns.

Court records indicate that Lambert sued the condo association in 2025. He alleged that the association failed to address water damage, mold, and moisture problems that began after exterior work was completed on the building. The association denied negligence and responsibility for the damage in its court filings, and the litigation was still ongoing.

Joel Braithwaite, Lambert’s attorney in the civil matter, expressed his shock at the events during a news conference on Thursday. He noted that he had last spoken with his client on Tuesday and that Lambert had sounded fine. Braithwaite remarked, “I can’t tell you how surprised I am because the person I knew as a client is someone who is in the business of healing people.”

On Thursday evening, residents gathered in the neighborhood for a vigil. They lit candles to show support for those affected by the shooting.