DC gym shooting victim ID'd as building manager James Stuart, who feuded with gunman over mold

WASHINGTON, DC: The victim killed in a shooting inside a Washington, DC, apartment building’s gym has been identified as James Stuart, a 46-year-old building manager who was reportedly involved in an ongoing dispute with the gunman over mold and maintenance issues.

Stuart was fatally shot by Dr Matt Lambert, 55, an emergency room physician, inside the ground-floor Vida Fitness gym in the Logan Square neighborhood shortly after 8 am on Thursday, November 12. Four other people were injured in the attack.

The victim's identity and his reported history of conflict with Lambert have brought fresh attention to the events leading up to the shooting, including a comment the gunman allegedly made about Stuart's daily routine.

Gunman reportedly knew James Stuart’s morning routine

Lambert had allegedly been aware of Stuart’s regular gym schedule. Before the shooting, he reportedly told another resident, “If you want to see the building manager, he comes in the gym about 8 o’clock.”

The remark has raised questions about whether Stuart was deliberately targeted. It is particularly significant as investigators examine the reported tensions between the two men and the possibility that Lambert knew when he could find the building manager.

Police have said there appeared to be some level of planning involved in the attack. However, authorities have not publicly established the full extent of the planning or confirmed all the circumstances surrounding Stuart's killing.

Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said investigators were looking into an ongoing dispute involving Lambert and the building’s homeowners association over maintenance issues and mold.

Lambert had reportedly complained about mold in his apartment, which was valued at approximately $1.1 million, and had been involved in a prolonged disagreement with the condominium association. Police indicated that the dispute may have been connected to the shooting.

The reported conflict provides a possible motive investigators are examining, although authorities have not released a complete account of the disagreements or explained how they escalated into violence.

Four others injured as gunman opened fire

After killing Stuart inside the gym, Lambert reportedly fired at people from the building’s seventh-floor balcony, injuring four others. One of the victims was reported to be in critical condition. Lambert later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an hours-long standoff with police.

Investigators have not established whether the four other people who were shot had any connection to the dispute or were specifically targeted. Their injuries, along with Stuart's death, made the incident a wider attack beyond the reported conflict involving the building manager.

Authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances of the shooting, including Lambert's reported dispute with the homeowners association and the comment he allegedly made about Stuart's morning routine.