DC Gym Shooter Matt Lambert Was Days From New Job and in 'Great Spirits,' Lawyer Says

Matt Lambert was preparing to start a new job and had appeared to be in 'great spirits' shortly before the Washington, DC, shooting that left his condominium building's manager dead and four other people wounded, his lawyer said.

Attorney Joel Braithwaite, who represented Lambert in a dispute with his condominium association, described his surprise at learning that his client was the suspected gunman. Lambert was due to begin the new role on Monday, 16 November, four days after the attack.

Police identified the shooter as Matt Wade Lambert, 55, and the man killed as James Stuart, 46. Lambert was subsequently found dead inside an apartment from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Lawyer Describes Recent Career Plans

Speaking to reporters on Thursday evening, Braithwaite said Lambert had recently travelled to Orlando, Florida, for a presentation involving artificial intelligence and medicine. His upcoming work was also connected to healthcare and AI.

The lawyer's account described a client making professional plans while pursuing an ongoing civil case. Braithwaite said they had spoken on Tuesday and that Lambert appeared to be doing well. Those observations reflected their recent contact, rather than an explanation for the violence that followed.

Braithwaite said Lambert had attended depositions the previous week and appeared upbeat in the 24 to 48 hours before the shooting.

'I'm at a loss for how things took any sort of turn,' he said.

He also said he had not known Lambert owned guns and would not have expected him to have them.

Building Manager Killed Inside Gym

Officers responded at approximately 7:59am on Thursday, 12 November, to reports of an active shooter in the 1500 block of 15th Street Northwest, in the Logan Circle neighbourhood.

Police found five people with gunshot injuries. Stuart died at the scene, while two women and two men were taken to hospital.

Authorities said Lambert targeted Stuart inside the VIDA Fitness gym before returning to his seventh-floor apartment. The four surviving victims were shot outside. At Thursday's briefing, police said one was critically injured, while the other three had injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Tactical officers later entered the apartment and found Lambert dead. Police recovered a handgun, rifle and shotgun, and said all three had been used during the shooting. They also confirmed that no firearms were registered to him in the District of Columbia.

Condominium Dispute Remains Under Scrutiny

Lambert had filed a lawsuit in 2025 alleging that water intrusion, moisture and mould had made his penthouse unusable following work on the building's exterior.

The defendants denied the allegations. The litigation remained ongoing, with mediation scheduled for March 2027. Braithwaite described Stuart as an important factual witness in the case.

Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said investigators believed the shooting was related to the dispute over building maintenance. However, the specific circumstances that prompted Thursday's attack remained unresolved.

Braithwaite cautioned against presenting the litigation itself as the explanation, saying the court process was intended to resolve disagreements and prevent disputes from spilling into the streets.

The lawyer's account of Lambert's recent optimism adds context to his final days but does not establish a motive. Police said the investigation remained open and appealed for information from anyone who could assist.