Dr Matt Lambert, 55, who killed a building manager and injured four other people during a shooting spree at a luxury Washington, DC, condominium complex, had been documenting his dispute with the property’s management on social media for months before the attack.
Lambert operated an X account called Of Mice and Mold, which he described as a source of information about the Metropole Condominium Association and its contractors, EJF Real Estate Services.
He began posting about problems at the Metropole building in the Logan Circle neighbourhood in October 2025, amid an ongoing legal battle over alleged water damage and mould in his penthouse apartment.
His initial posts focused on attempts to get the property management company to address the problems.
He also shared an invitation for neighbours to visit his apartment during the holiday season.
However, his online updates gradually became more critical as he continued documenting the condition of his property and the work required to investigate the damage.
Chilling Social Media Post Referenced Building Manager
One of Lambert’s posts, published on April 28, attracted particular attention following Thursday’s shooting.
Responding to another resident who had complained about a lack of hot water, Lambert wrote: “If you’re looking for the building manager, I would check the gym.”
The gym was where building manager James Stuart, 46, was fatally shot in the back at approximately 8am on Thursday.
A day before the attack, Lambert also claimed that his dispute with the building management had left him without a shower, dryer, heating and air conditioning system, and cooking facilities for six months.
His final social media post, published at 8.06am on Thursday while he was believed to be inside his apartment, stated: “My manifesto is an engineering report.”
Lambert Confessed to Shooting Five People
Following the shooting, Lambert reportedly spoke by telephone with Charelle Ferguson, another property manager who initially did not realise he was responsible for the violence.
When Ferguson asked whether he was alright, Lambert returned to his complaints about the mould and water damage, insisting that the condition of his apartment had made it uninhabitable.
According to Ferguson, he told her: “The only way people will pay attention, you have to do something.”
Lambert subsequently confessed that he had shot five people, including Stuart, one of her colleagues.
“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing,” Ferguson recalled.
“I tried to calm myself down and get as much info from him as I could and keep him on the phone.”
Gunman Barricaded Himself Inside Penthouse
After shooting Stuart inside the VIDA Fitness gym, Lambert barricaded himself inside his penthouse apartment at 1515 15th Street, directly above the gym.
During the standoff, he activated the building’s sprinkler system, started a fire and continued discussing his dispute with the condominium management.
He also fired from his balcony at four people on the ground, injuring all of them.
Police eventually forced their way into the building after Lambert reportedly fired twice at officers through his apartment door.
Negotiators spent approximately an hour communicating with him through the apartment door before hearing a gunshot.
When officers entered, they discovered Lambert with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities also recovered three firearms from the apartment: a pistol, a shotgun and a rifle.
None was registered to Lambert.
Police said at least one of the four people injured in the attack was in critical condition, while the other three sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Police Confirmed Dispute With Homeowners Association
At a subsequent news conference, Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed that investigators were examining a dispute between Lambert and the condominium’s homeowners association.
“We do know there was a conflict between him and the homeowners association of that building, but at this point we’re continuing to look into that,” Carroll said.
Authorities have not established what prompted Lambert to carry out the shooting while his lawsuit against the property management company was still ongoing.
Lawsuit Alleged Extensive Water Damage and Mould
Lambert filed his lawsuit in March 2025, claiming that construction work on the building’s exterior facade had caused serious water intrusion, moisture accumulation and mould in his apartment.
According to the legal complaint, the Metropole began facade rehabilitation work in March 2023.
Lambert maintained that his apartment had not experienced significant water intrusion, mould or moisture problems before the project started.
As a condominium owner, he had reportedly contributed $15,357 towards the facade work.
The lawsuit stated that Lambert first noticed damage in March 2024 and subsequently reported water intrusion after the condominium association requested that residents report any problems arising from the construction.
In August 2024, the management reportedly cut an opening into his drywall to investigate whether water was leaking behind the wall.
The following month, an electric blind beneath the opening stopped working, while a foul-smelling mould developed in the affected area.
Lambert alleged that the management company initially denied the presence of mould and attempted to close the opening rather than address his complaints.
Independent Assessments Identified Moisture Problems
Lambert’s lawsuit stated that two independent assessments confirmed substantial moisture accumulation in several parts of his apartment.
The affected areas reportedly included the cement ceiling, soffit, baseboards, windowsills and exterior walls.
He subsequently requested that the condominium association carry out repairs in accordance with the assessors’ recommendations and reimburse him for the expenses incurred.
However, the lawsuit alleged that the management failed to fulfil his requests despite receiving photographic evidence of the damage.
The complaint described moisture-saturated ceilings, mould-covered exterior walls, damaged floorboards beneath the windows and corrosion affecting metal surfaces behind the drywall.
Metropole reportedly wrote to Lambert on October 21, 2024, promising to work towards resolving the problems.
But according to his lawsuit, the promised repairs never materialised.
Apartment Was Stripped Down During Investigation
On November 11, 2024, Lambert hired a contractor to remove sections of the apartment’s walls and flooring after becoming dissatisfied with the progress made by the management company.
He alleged that the work exposed additional black mould and leaking pipes that were contributing to the damage.
The lawsuit stated that the apartment was eventually stripped down to its metal framework, which reportedly showed signs of water intrusion and elevated moisture levels.
Lambert left the property when the deconstruction began and claimed he could not move back in until the underlying problems were resolved.
He argued that reconstructing the apartment without addressing the moisture issues would simply lead to further mould growth.
The legal complaint also accused Metropole of repeatedly promising repairs without delivering them.
Doctor Documented Other Problems in Building
As the dispute continued, Lambert expanded his social media activity to include complaints about other conditions within the condominium complex.
Photographs shared through Of Mice and Mold showed alleged mould growth, corroded metal, cockroaches, other vermin and water leaking inside walls.
He also published notifications from building management concerning interruptions to various utilities.
Lambert further alleged that he was being discriminated against because repairs were being carried out in other apartments affected by similar problems while his own unit remained unresolved.
On October 1, he posted an update about his lawsuit, claiming that the homeowners association had used delay tactics before an independent engineering report was finally submitted as evidence.
“After months of ‘Luigi’ tactics (delay, deny, defend) by the HOA, we were finally able to submit an independent engineering report into the record,” he wrote.
He added that the report covered apartment 704, the wider facade rehabilitation project and other units allegedly affected by the construction work.
Lambert said he intended to share the report with other condominium owners and Logan Circle real estate agents when the time was appropriate.
Lawyer Said Lambert Had Been in a Good Place
Lambert’s attorney, Joel Braithwaite, said he was unable to explain what prompted his client to carry out the shooting.
According to the lawyer, Lambert had been in a good place when they spoke approximately a day before the incident.
He also said the lawsuit had made progress, with a successful deposition taking place the previous week.
The shooting occurred more than two years after Lambert had moved out of his apartment to allow contractors to dismantle sections of its walls and flooring.
Property Management Company Mourns Building Manager
EJF Real Estate Services expressed devastation over Stuart’s death and described the shooting as a senseless act of violence.
The company’s president, Scott Burka, remembered Stuart as a valued employee who had joined the organisation 13 years earlier as a property manager.
“Jimmy was more than a colleague; he was a part of the fabric of this company,” Burka said.
“He was a respected and beloved member of our team,” he added.
Burka extended the company’s condolences to Stuart’s family and loved ones, saying the organisation would honour his memory by supporting one another.
He also confirmed that EJF Real Estate Services was cooperating with law enforcement authorities investigating the incident.
