Cal Poly grad killed in lightning strike near White House

A 29-year-old Cal Poly graduate was identified this weekend as the third person killed by a lightning strike that took place across the street from the White House on Thursday.

Brooks Lambertson, a Los Angeles resident by way of Folsom, was in Washington, D.C., for business, his employer, City National Bank, said in a statement Saturday.

“Brooks was an incredible young man who will be remembered for his generosity, kindness and unwavering positivity,” a company spokesperson said. “His sudden loss is devastating for all who knew him, and his family, friends and colleagues appreciate the thoughts and prayers that have poured in from around the country.”

According to Lamberston’s Linkedin page, he graduated from Vista del Lago High School in 2011 before getting his bachelor’s degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo four years later.

There, he volunteered for the women’s basketball team scout team in addition to helping Special Olympics Southern California as a basketball coach and instructor.

After graduating college, Lambertson moved to downtown Los Angeles where he continued working in sports. He worked in the Los Angeles Clippers partnership marketing department for nearly four years before moving on to City National Bank, where he took on the role of vice president of sponsorship activation.

The same lightning strike also killed a husband and wife from Wisconsin in addition to sending another woman to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

This story was originally published August 7, 2022 at 12:44 PM with the headline "Cal Poly grad killed in lightning strike near White House."