Citibank Employee Killed In Florida Campus Shooting, Armed Security Guard Stops Gunman In Shootout

A man owing $2,500 crashed his car into a Citibank campus near Tampa and shot an employee dead before a security guard opened fire and killed him.

A gunman who owed Citibank $2,500 drove a car into the bank complex near Tampa on Wednesday and fatally shot the first employee he encountered before an armed security guard stopped him in an exchange of gunfire, law enforcement officials said on Thursday.

The attacker was identified by officials as Jacob Pearson, 35. He had received a summons over the debt on Wednesday and sent a message to the attorney's office handling collection for Citibank threatening the bank.

Sheriff Chad Chronister named the victim as Leanne Selman, 41, of Palm Harbor. She had worked at the company for nine years.

The security guard who confronted the gunman was identified as John Fraley, who also serves as a vice president of operations. Fraley was injured, and at least four other people were treated for injuries that were not life threatening. All those treated have since been released.

Pearson had driven over several medians and a grassy area, crashed through a fence and came to a stop in a courtyard where people were eating lunch. The campus includes several three storey office buildings.

The gunman got out and shot Selman multiple times with a rifle. When the rifle malfunctioned, he took a handgun from the car and returned to shoot her again, Chronister said.

Fraley confronted him in the cafeteria and the two exchanged fire. Pearson was struck five times and taken to a hospital, where he died.

The first 911 calls about shots fired came in at 12.11 pm, and deputies reached the site within a minute. Body camera footage from 12.16 pm shows an armed officer running across the campus and shouting that the subject was in the cafeteria and possibly down, then confirming moments later that the shooter was down. The video shows crowds moving through packed hallways with their hands raised as sirens sound around them.

More than 300 law enforcement officers responded and evacuated over 3,000 employees in two and a half hours, Chief Deputy Frank Losat said. He credited the security guard for preventing further violence.

A cafeteria employee, who asked not to be named, said her first instinct was to call her mother. She sheltered in a room with five others until police arrived, while some cried and others tried to reach relatives or text colleagues. She said she tried to keep everyone calm and reassure her mother that they would be alright.

Items left behind in the cafeteria and courtyard included high heels, eyeglasses, water bottles, toppled chairs and scattered lunches.

Citigroup chief executive Jane Fraser said her heart went out to the colleague's loved ones and to everyone affected, and expressed gratitude for the security team's actions. Counselling has been arranged for employees, and staff were not expected to work on Thursday.

Doug Merritt said his son called to say he had fled the building after hearing gunshots and had left his belongings behind. A poor internet connection left him unsure for about an hour whether his son was safe.