DC gym shooter gave ominous quote on mold issues months before he opened fire that left one dead and four hurt

The doctor who opened fire inside a Washington, D.C., gym killing the building manager of his apartment complex after a long-running dispute about black mold — and knew exactly where to find him before carrying out the shooting, according to a report. Dr. Matt Lambert shot 46-year-old James Stuart point-blank in the back at Vida Fitness just after 8 a.m. Thursday in the affluent D.C. Logan Circle neighborhood, prompting panicked gym-goers to flee as officers in tactical gear surrounded the building.Lambert, 55, fled the gym to his penthouse apartment above the facility and “barricaded” himself inside, police said. He fired several shots from his penthouse using a rifle, injuring four others, before dying by suicide.It has since emerged that Lambert was interviewed by a reporter about his bitter legal dispute involving Stuart and the Metropole Condominium Association, which he described as “psychological warfare.” Lambert drained his retirement savings by spending $300,000 in the fight over the disrepair of his $1.1 million penthouse, according to his attorney.The doctor gave an ominous quote to the journalist who interviewed him about the legal battle months before the shooting. Dr. Matt Lambert shot 46-year-old James Stuart point-blank in the back at a Washington, DC, Vida Fitness on the morning of November 12, police said. The doctor gave an ominous quote to a journalist months before the shooting (@MattLambertMD/X)“If you want to see the building manager, he comes in the gym about 8 o’clock,” Lambert reportedly told a neighbor who also wanted to complain about his apartment in the complex, according to Washington Sun reporter Michael Brice-Saddler. The journalist visited Lambert’s apartment for a series of interviews in December 2025.Lambert never indicated that he would ever resort to violence in interviews, according to Brice-Saddler, but the physician did often use “intense, combative language.”He made a passing reference to Luigi Mangione, who has pleaded guilty in connection with the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The words “delay, deny, depose” were found inscribed on Mangione’s ammunition, an apparent reference to how the health insurance industry treats its clients.“What are they called? Delay, deny, defend … the Luigi three?” Lambert reportedly said.After purchasing the penthouse apartment in 2016, Lambert recently attempted to sell and move to New York but his plans were delayed when the building facade underwent construction. During the project, which ran from April 2023 to August 2024, water started to run down the inside of Lambert’s windows, causing water to spill onto the floor, particularly during wet weather. It caused cracks and mold to form in the walls.The shooting took place in the affluent DC Logan Circle neighborhood, prompting panicked gym-goers to flee as officers in tactical gear surrounded the building. Four people were also injured (AP)He filed a civil lawsuit in March 2025, accusing the Metropole Condominium Association of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and nuisance, according to court documents. The lawsuit named Stuart and the property management company, EJF Real Estate Services. The association and EJF denied responsibility, but lost a bid to have the case thrown out last year, according to the Washington Sun.As the litigation dragged on, Lambert grew more distressed. “It’s affected every part of my life — my sleep, dietary habits,” Lambert told Brice-Saddler last December. “I pride myself on my resilience, and I’ve been kind of surprised at how much it has been affected.”On Thursday morning, an account reportedly set up by Lambert to document the disrepair of his apartment, with the X handle “OfMiceandMold,” posted another ominous message.“My manifesto is an engineering report,” it said, with screenshots of a document listing the apartment’s defects.Lambert’s attorney, Joel Braithwaite, said he was not aware that his client possessed a weapon.“When a matter is in litigation, there's never a need to resolve these things by violence,” the attorney said at a press conference. “Four people were wounded. One person lost their life. And ultimately these matters should have been resolved in court.”