D.C. Gym Shooter Made Ominous Remark About Building Manager Months Before Deadly Attack, Report Says

A deadly shooting at a Washington, D.C., fitness center has taken on an even more disturbing dimension after a journalist revealed that the gunman had previously made a remark about the very building manager he would later fatally shoot.

Authorities identified the gunman as Matt Lambert, 55, a former emergency medicine doctor. Police say Lambert killed 46-year-old James Stuart inside VIDA Fitness in the Logan Circle neighborhood on the morning of Thursday, November 12, 2026. He then continued firing from his apartment balcony, injuring several other people.

According to reporting by journalist Michael Brice-Saddler, Lambert had spoken with him in 2025 about a prolonged dispute involving alleged water leaks, moisture and mold problems inside his condominium. During those conversations, Lambert reportedly described the situation as “psychological warfare” and said the problems had affected his sleep, eating habits and daily life.

But one comment from that earlier conversation has drawn particular attention following the shooting.

Lambert reportedly told the journalist that anyone looking for the building manager could find him at the gym around 8 a.m. Stuart, who managed the condominium building above the fitness center, was ultimately shot there shortly before that time on Thursday.

Police have said the suspect and the building’s homeowners association and management had been involved in an ongoing dispute over maintenance issues. Court records show Lambert had filed a civil lawsuit in March 2025, alleging problems related to water intrusion and mold in his condominium. The association and management company disputed responsibility.

During the 2025 interview, Lambert also reportedly compared the association’s response to the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” referencing language associated with Luigi Mangione, who was accused of killing a health insurance executive. The remark was made while Lambert was discussing his frustrations with the condominium dispute.

Investigators have since revealed additional details about the attack. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Lambert inside the gym for nearly an hour before approaching Stuart and shooting him. Police said the video captured the shooting but did not appear to show a conversation between the two men beforehand.

After the shooting inside the gym, Lambert returned to his condominium and fired from his balcony, striking people outside. Authorities later confirmed that multiple people were injured, including one person who suffered a critical injury. Police also reported that another victim sustained a graze wound.

Officers eventually surrounded the building as Lambert barricaded himself inside his apartment. Police said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators also reported finding several firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition inside the residence, along with evidence of an attempted fire and a damaged gas line.

The incident shocked residents and workers in the normally busy Logan Circle neighborhood. Gym members described hearing loud bangs before realizing that a shooting had taken place, while people nearby rushed to safety as police responded.

Lambert’s attorney said he was stunned by the violence and had not known that his client possessed a weapon. He emphasized that a dispute involving a condominium or property management should never have ended in bloodshed.

Authorities continue to investigate the events leading up to the attack, including the gunman’s reported remarks and the extent to which the long-running condominium dispute contributed to the violence.

The case has left a community grieving the loss of James Stuart and raised painful questions about how a dispute that had been handled through legal proceedings escalated into a deadly attack.