An armed security guard shot the attacker dead after he rammed through a fence and opened fire on workers having lunch in Florida
A gunman has rammed his car through a security fence at a Citibank corporate campus in Florida and fatally shot a female employee before being gunned down by an armed security guard. The attack left four others injured and triggered a massive police response involving hundreds of officers.
The attack unfolded around noon on Wednesday at the Citibank Center in Brandon, near Tampa, where more than 3,200 people were working at the time, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect drove a sedan over several road medians and grassy areas before smashing through a secured fence and crashing into an outdoor dining area where employees were having lunch, according to videos from the scene.
He then emerged from the wrecked vehicle carrying an AR-15-style rifle, approached a woman sitting outside and shot her dead, authorities said.
WATCH: Active shooter armed with rifle seen exiting rammed vehicle at CitiBank Center in Tampa, Florida.
The shooter is now deceased. At least one person was killed. https://t.co/F2xbvc1CTe
The attacker subsequently entered the building’s cafeteria, where an armed Citibank security guard confronted him. The two exchanged gunfire, and the guard shot the suspect, who was rushed to Tampa General Hospital and pronounced dead at 1:12pm.
🚨Tampa, Florida active shooter at a citibank.🚨
The shooter apparently drove their car through an outdoor area, exited his car, and killed a woman. He then began approaching a cafeteria, where he was killed by an armed security guard.
He also seems to have a prosthetic leg.
●ABC news article
A woman was shot and killed at a business complex in Florida on Wednesday, authorities said.
The suspect was fatally shot by a security guard during an exchange of gunfire inside a cafeteria in the Tampa-area Citibank office complex, according to authorities.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said it responded to an “active threat” at the Citibank complex. Authorities received multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting around 12:11 p.m., according to Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Frank Losat.
The suspect initially drove his four-door sedan through a fenced area and crashed into an outdoor seating area where multiple people were having lunch, according to Losat.
“Upon the car coming to rest, the suspect exits the vehicle with a rifle, approaches the female, and she is shot,” Losat said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
The victim’s name is not being released at this time and is pending full identification and next-of-kin notification, he said.
The Citibank security guard engaged the suspect in the building’s cafeteria, where the two exchanged gunfire, according to Losat. The suspect was shot by the security guard and taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, he said. Authorities have a pending identification of the suspect and are not releasing it at this time, Losat said.
Earlier Wednesday, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said on social media that, based on preliminary information, “we believe this is a targeted incident.” Though during Wednesday’s presser, Losat said investigators have to “work through details” and that information is subject to change.
Investigators are “still working” to determine if the suspect and shooting victim knew each other, and are also conducting interviews with Citibank employees, Losat said. There were some 3,200 Citibank employees on the property at the time, he said.
“With that many witnesses, up to 3,200 witnesses, we will be doing interviews well into the night,” Losat said.
Four people sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, Losat said. It is unclear at this time if they were struck by the vehicle, he said.
Losat commended the security guard who “stopped the threat,” saying there was “potential” for further violence.
The incident prompted a massive law enforcement response, including heavily armed deputies and armored vehicles. A law enforcement source told ABC News that agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be responding to the scene.
Authorities have cleared all the buildings in the complex, according to Losat. The crime scene is “very large” and will be processed possibly into Thursday, he said.
“We are very fluid at this stage of the investigation,” Losat said. “This is a sad day for everybody involved, the Tampa Bay area and surrounding communities and the law enforcement partners.”
Four other people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, although officials have not clarified whether they were struck by gunfire or injured when the vehicle crashed into the dining area.
A very rapid response by Your Sheriff’s Office, with more than 365 deputies responding to the Citibank Center. https://t.co/cS5G6HDURE
The shooting triggered a massive law enforcement operation, with 367 sheriff’s deputies, SWAT teams, helicopters, drones and K-9 units descending on the sprawling complex. Officers evacuated workers and searched the buildings room by room, finding some employees hiding in locked offices and closets.
Newly released bodycam video from the Tampa Citibank shooting.. 2 deceased, 4 injured. https://t.co/k4NYlsrrYM
Dramatic bodycam footage released by the sheriff’s office shows deputies rushing into the building and moving through its corridors during the response. Separate footage circulating online captured the gunman emerging from his wrecked car moments before the shooting.
BREAKING UPDATE: 2 DEAD IN TAMPA CITIBANK SHOOTING
Authorities say the incident at the Citibank office complex outside Tampa, Florida, was a targeted attack.
🔴 One victim and the suspected shooter are dead, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff.
Sheriff Chad Chronister described the shooting as a “targeted incident” and said the attacker had apparently intended to inflict far greater casualties.
“This was a tragic situation where a victim was killed by an individual who was intent on killing as many people as possible,” Chronister said, praising the security team for stopping the gunman before he could harm anyone else.
Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser confirmed that the woman killed was a colleague and credited the security guards with preventing an even greater tragedy.
“I am devastated to share that one of our colleagues has lost their life,” she wrote in a message to employees. “I am grateful to the brave actions of our security team who prevented this awful day from being even worse.”
The identities of the suspect and victim have not been released. Investigators have yet to establish a motive or determine whether the two knew each other.
