1 Dead, 4 Injured in Logan Circle Gym Shooting

A gunman killed one person and injured at least four others at VIDA Fitness in Washington, D.C.'s Logan Circle neighborhood early this morning. The shooting occurred on 15th Street Northwest, a block lined with apartment buildings, a church, and local businesses. The area sits about one mile north of the White House.

The first call for help arrived at 8 a.m. from people inside the gym, according to Jeffery W. Carroll, the interim Police Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. Officers and emergency responders reached the scene within 30 seconds. They found one adult man who had been shot inside the facility. It remains unclear whether the four other injured individuals were also inside the gym at the time of the shooting.

After leaving the gym, the shooter entered a nearby apartment building and barricaded himself inside. Carroll stated that the gunman shot himself while officers were attempting to get him to surrender safely. A police spokeswoman later confirmed the shooter's death. Police spent approximately one hour engaging with the suspect before the final gunshot was heard.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as residents fled the area. Tinbete Ermyas, an editor at NPR, was working out when the incident began. He heard a very loud bang that shook the room, followed by screams. Ermyas and other gym-goers hid in a laundry room connected to an emergency exit for about 20 minutes until police escorted them out. As they exited, they saw the body of the man who was shot. Ermyas said the man was a regular gym attendee.

Oscar Vazquez, manager of Call Your Mother Deli next to the gym, said he and his co-worker Cesar Miranda initially thought the fire alarm was a routine test. They heard seven or eight gunshots before people began running into the deli. Vazquez said they tried to shelter as many people as possible. Miranda noted that many residents were shocked and afraid, with some falling into chairs on the patio.

A massive law enforcement presence, including FBI agents and SWAT teams, swarmed the area minutes after the shots rang out. Residents received emergency text messages ordering them to remain sheltered in place. That order was lifted at approximately 11:30 a.m. Carroll said he believes the gunman was a member of the gym, as VIDA requires visitors to tap in for access. It is unclear if the gunman and the victims knew each other. More investigation is needed.

The interim Police Chief briefed the public this morning. He confirmed the timeline of events from the initial call to the suspect's death. The neighborhood is expected to return to normal as the shelter-in-place order is lifted.