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A gunman was killed in a shootout with a security guard after fatally shooting a woman at a Citibank office complex outside Tampa on Wednesday.
The shooter crashed his car into an outdoor seating area where workers were having lunch before getting out and opening fire in what police believe was a targeted attack.
Hundreds of officers rushed to the scene just after noon following multiple reports of gunshots at the sprawling business complex in Florida.
An armed Citibank security guard jumped into action, confronted the gunman in the cafeteria and a shootout ensued. The shooter was wounded and died at the hospital, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Frank Losat applauded a security guard who confronted the gunman (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
“There was no hesitation by anyone in this agency or the federal agencies to respond and engage with that suspect,” Chief Deputy Frank Losat said. “Was there a potential for further violence? Absolutely. So kudos to that security guard.”
Haunting video showed the gunman walking through the courtyard with a rifle as he approached the victim. His motive and whether he knew the woman wasn’t immediately clear.
Four people were treated at a local hospital for injuries but Losat didn’t know whether they had been shot or struck by the gunman’s vehicle.
Thousands of employees evacuated
There were 3,200 Citibank employees on campus at the time of the shooting. TV footage showed long lines of employees streaming out of office buildings as more than 365 officers swarmed the complex in suburban Tampa.
David Dzien, a Citibank vice president, told The Associated Press he was heading back to work after lunch when he saw the gunman’s sedan crash through a fence about 150 yards (137 meters) from him. He said an “incredible clatter” followed that he later realized was gunfire.
People near the wrecked car began to run and scream, Dzien said, and he sprinted into the building and evacuated through a fire escape.
“I can still hear the particular type of scream,” he said, “and I’m still trying to process it, frankly.”
He said the shooting came on a day when “VIPs” who don’t normally work at the complex were present for a “quarterly review.”
“All of a sudden, I heard people come, people screaming,” another witness told local CBS affiliate WTSP. “Heard some people running around, and then I saw a big group of people, panicked faces, and then I heard three shots.”
Concerned parent Doug Merritt told The Associated Press that his son called him from the Citibank campus saying he fled after hearing gunshots.
“He was very close to it,” Merritt said. “He left all this stuff where he was at and he was able to get out of there.”
Merritt didn’t know whether his son was safe for around an hour as he struggled to get in touch over a bad internet connection.
“I wanted him to get to safety,” he said. “I was upset.”
Citigroup said in a statement that it was “aware of an incident” at the complex and was cooperating with police.