One dead, four wounded in shooting in downtown Washington, DC; gunman kills himself

WASHINGTON (AP) — A gunman killed a man at a gym on Thursday before fleeing and shooting four more people in a scene that rattled a popular neighborhood not far from the White House, US police said.

The suspect later shot himself inside a nearby seventh-floor apartment where he had been speaking by phone to police negotiators, said Jeffery Carroll, interim chief with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said she was “devastated” at the loss of life in a “senseless act of gun violence.”

0:00 / 0:00

“Promoted: Theatron Hotel and Residences – Luxury Jerusalem Residences with Five-Star Hotel Amenities.

The shootings occurred around 8 a.m. in Logan Circle, about a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the White House. Much of the block on 15th Street Northwest was cordoned off as police urged people to avoid the area, which includes a VIDA fitness center, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, residences and a Whole Foods supermarket. Schools were locked down.

Law enforcement SWAT teams and other officers had their guns drawn on the roof of an apartment building or on the ground below.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories

By signing up, you agree to the terms

Carroll said one man died at the gym and another victim was in critical condition.

The suspect’s self-inflicted death was confirmed by a law enforcement official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation into what happened and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

James Spellman, who was at the gym, said there were about 50 people there when the shooting began.

“Within seconds there was a man who fell to the ground, and a pool of blood came out,” he said. “One gym member rushed to help him. He was instantly dead. He had been shot in the neck.”

Spellman said he and others dashed out of the gym. He said he heard about two shots fired in the gym and about five or six fired outside.

Anthony Mirones was in the gym’s cardio area when he heard a loud bang and thought something fell off the wall. He said someone was trying to help the wounded man, but then a fire alarm went off, and many people ran.

“The people in cardio had to step over the body,” Mirones said.

Another witness, Ryan Dubicki, said he was in his nearby apartment around the same time when he “heard about five bangs.”

“They were really spread out so I thought it was construction,” he said. A short time later, “there were cops everywhere.”

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it sent agents to the scene to help. And the FBI said its Washington field office was helping local police with the investigation.

The neighborhood has seen violence before. In early August 2025, a one-time member of US President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency was assaulted early on a Sunday morning in the Logan Circle neighborhood by a group of teenagers attempting to carjack him and a woman, authorities said.

Days later, Trump fulfilled his threat to bypass local authority and imposed direct federal control over the city, sending in hundreds of National Guard members to reduce crime. That deployment continues today.

Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks

LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.

Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy;

Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.

As a Community member, you’ll also enjoy our DocuNation series of outstanding Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more.

CHOOSE YOUR BOOK CHOOSE YOUR BOOK Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this