Gunman Opens Fire in Washington DC Neighbourhood, Kills One, Suspect Shoots Himself

A shooting in an upscale Washington DC neighbourhood near the White House left one person dead and four others injured on Thursday, triggering a massive police operation and sending nearby schools into lockdown. The suspected gunman later shot himself while barricaded inside an apartment, police said.

The shooting occurred in Logan Circle, about a mile north of the White House. Interim Metropolitan Police Department chief Jeffrey Carroll said the suspect opened fire on several people before taking shelter inside an apartment building.

Authorities believe the gunman first shot at least one person inside a nearby VIDA fitness centre, before moving outside and firing again. He allegedly shot another person in a parking garage elevator before barricading himself on the building's seventh floor.

The suspect apparently had a dispute with the building's homeowners association, Carroll said. The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.

Witness James Spellman, who was inside the gym with around 50 others, said a man collapsed after being shot in the neck. Another gym member rushed to help him, but the victim died at the scene.

Police cordoned off a section of 15th Street and urged people to avoid the area. SWAT teams and armed officers surrounded the building, while the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent personnel to assist.

The incident comes amid continuing concerns over public safety in the US capital. Hundreds of National Guard personnel deployed to Washington DC under President Donald Trump's federal crime-control intervention in 2025 remain in the city.