WASHINGTON: At least one person was killed and several others wounded in a shooting at and outside a fitness club in Washington, DC, on Thursday, local media reported, as police said an active shooter remained barricaded inside a building.
The gunman had not been taken into custody, police said, prompting a major security response involving dozens of officers in tactical gear.
DC Council member Brooke Pinto said in a post on X that the shooting took place “at and outside” a VIDA Fitness club, adding that multiple people had been shot.
A witness who spoke to Reuters said he heard gunshots and saw a man rush towards another man who appeared to have been struck by a bullet.
“Blood was pouring immediately, and he said, ‘He’s dead,’” the witness said. “We didn’t know if the gunman was still on the premises, so we just ran frantically.”
He added that he heard more gunshots after fleeing the gym.
The incident unfolded in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, about a mile (1.6 kilometres) northeast of the White House. Officers carrying rifles were seen positioned on nearby rooftops, while dozens of police vehicles cordoned off the surrounding area.
Some people gathered on a nearby rooftop to watch the police response.
A police spokesperson was unable to confirm the number of people killed or wounded.
