Washington: A shooter killed one person and injured several others before turning the gun on himself in America’s capital, a short distance from the White House. According to law enforcement, another shooting victim is in critical condition while three others have suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The shooting took place around a gym in the Logan circle neighbourhood, following which the assailant barricaded himself in an apartment above the gym.
“The suspect was in litigation recently with his building owner. And we believe the suspect went into Vida Fitness to target the building owner and shoot him and kill him, which he did,” said city council member Brooke Pinto to local media, describing the chain of events that led to the shooting, which occurred around 8am local time.
Pinto added that the shooter proceeded to leave the gym and shoot several bystanders, including construction workers and a woman in the area. In the course of barricading himself in a nearby apartment building, the shooter also set parts of the building on fire.
Law enforcement authorities stated that police communicated with the assailant for an hour before hearing a gunshot from inside an apartment. Officers then forced entry into the apartment to find the shooter suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, to which he ultimately succumbed.
Police told residents in parts of Logan Circle and Dupont Circle to stay indoors while they secured the area. Armed police officers, ambulances and police vehicles cordoned off the area around the bustling 15th Street and maintained a presence even after the shooter was deceased. Helicopters circled overhead. Schools in nearby neighbourhoods were placed on alert.
Apartment buildings around the area also secured access to their buildings temporarily in response to the shooting.
“We want to make you aware of an active law enforcement situation in the Logan Circle neighborhood near our community. Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily secured access to the building,” reads a message sent out by 1500 Mass, an apartment building near the building.
Another message was sent out once news broke that the shooter had died.
“The immediate threat has ended. Out of an abundance of caution, our buildings remain secured while police continue their work in the area. We expect a continued law enforcement presence nearby as the situation is fully resolved. We will notify you as soon as normal building access is restored,” it read.
The area around the shooting, observed by your correspondent, remained relatively calm with local residents commuting to work and the flow of traffic left relatively undisturbed by the incident.
