Washington shooting incident leaves two dead, injures 4

A gunman shot one person dead and wounded four others in an upscale neighborhood of downtown Washington on Thursday before barricading himself in his apartment and killing himself, police said.

The shooting, which occurred about a mile north of the White House, sparked a massive police response in the nation's capital with dozens of law enforcement vehicles racing to the scene and police helicopters hovering overhead.

Jeffery Carroll, Washington's interim police chief, told reporters that the gunman had fatally shot one person in a fitness center attached to his apartment building and wounded four others before barricading himself in his apartment.

He said the man had fired at least twice at police through his apartment door before shooting himself.

Police said the suspect had been pronounced dead at the scene.

The man, who was not identified, was apparently in "some sort of a conflict" with the homeowners association of the apartment building, which is located in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, Carroll said.

One of the four wounded was in critical condition while the injuries to the others did not appear to be life-threatening, the police chief said.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser denounced what she described as a "senseless act of gun violence" and said the White House had been briefed about the incident.

The shooting occurred during the busy morning rush hour, snarling traffic as police closed off streets around the area.

Some residents were evacuated by police while others were told to shelter in place.

The Washington Sun quoted a member of the VIDA Fitness gym as saying that he was on a treadmill at the workout facility when the shooting began.

Michael Carney said he heard a "pop" and then saw someone on the gym floor who had been shot in the head.

"Everyone was kind of just hiding behind planters and stuff," Carney told The Sun.

The Logan Circle neighborhood is one of the most expensive in Washington and is known for chic restaurants and nightlife spots. It also sits a short distance from a heavy concentration of foreign embassies.

Agence France-Presse