Community mourns as investigation continues into deadly Logan Circle attack

Our top story this morning, the D.C. community still in shock and mourning after a mass shooting in Logan Circle. One person was killed inside of a Vita Fitness. Four others injured before the suspect, a local doctor, turned the gun on himself. Fox 5's Melanie Elnwick joining us live from Logan Circle with the very latest and more on the memorial that continues to grow there this morning. Melanie. I'm going to push her to stay there. Good morning, Jacqueline. So we have seen additional armed security inside the building today and also D.C. police a little more visible on patrol here, at least to to my eye. People might tell you that they're. Always out here, but we're seeing a lot of police activity going around the neighborhood. And also out here in front of the building, people are leaving notes of love and support. They're also discussing ways to thank the first responders who rushed in toward danger to stop the shooter. Last night, dozens of people gathered at Logan Circle, then walked to the scene, lighting candles, laying flowers, and also writing notes to pay tribute to the victims. It was 8 a.m. Thursday when the suspected gunman, 55-year-old Dr. Matt Lambert, first shot and killed 46-year-old James Stewart. The building's property manager inside the Vita Fitness there on the 1500 block of 15th Street Northwest. Dr. Lambert then returned to his seventh floor condo in the building above the gym and then from his balcony fired several rounds, hitting four more people. Lambert barricaded himself inside the apartment, fired at responding officers, and used a gas line to start a fire inside his unit. Police negotiators tried to communicate with him for more than an hour. Officers eventually heard a gunshot inside, and when tactical... Crews entered. They say they found Dr. Lambert dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I'm deeply saddened and shaken by the events that took place today. When it matters in litigation, there's never a need to resolve these things by violence. As I understand the facts, I have to say first and foremost that my thoughts and prayers goes out to all the victims and the families that are now dealing with a terrible tragedy. Now that's Dr. Lambert's attorney representing him in a 20-month lawsuit against his Metropole condo HOA alleging mold and water issues on a social media account believed to be Dr. Lambert's, a post early Thursday morning saying, quote, my manifesto is an engineering report. And it was just a short time after that that he burst into the Vita Fitness and started shooting. Now, people inside the Vita Fitness did tell us that initially the shooting appeared to be targeted and then investigated. Investigators later said, yes, indeed, that seems to be the case. But we still have no idea. We may never know why he fired from his balcony down below, striking those four people. One person remains in critical condition. The other three are expected to survive. Jacqueline. Mal, thank you. In the meantime this morning, we're also hearing from witnesses about how those chaotic moments unfolded inside of the gym. We spoke with Gary Coates, who was inside of Vita Fitness when the shots rang out. I've never heard anything this loud in my life. Thank you. I knew it was a gunshot. There's no question about it. You would have known it was a gunshot. I forgot. But never heard anything that loud. And I knew it couldn't have come from the right. That would be the stretching area. And I just looked to the left. And at that particular moment, I saw the gunman. Lead coverage on the Logan Circle mass shooting. You can head to the Fox local DC app. Scan that QR code on your screen or visit fox5dc.com for more information.