Tampa Citibank Campus Shooter Killed After Guard Returns Fire

A security guard killed the gunman who attacked the Citibank campus in Tampa on Wednesday, ending the shooting that claimed one life and injured four others.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Frank Losat confirmed the guard exchanged fire with the suspect in a cafeteria and shot him dead. The gunman had first crashed his vehicle into the courtyard before pulling out a rifle.

Losat said 3,200 employees were on the premises during the attack. Four additional people were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He did not specify if those injuries were from bullets or the vehicle impact.

The sheriff’s office has not released the names of the shooter or the woman killed. Authorities also did not state a motive or confirm whether the two knew each other.

David Dzien, a Citibank vice president, was returning to his office after lunch when he saw the shooter’s sedan crash through a fence roughly 150 yards away. He described hearing an incredible clatter that he later identified as gunfire.

Dzien said people near the crash dispersed and began screaming. He sprinted back into the building and exited via a fire escape. He noted that the day was a quarterly review, meaning senior executives who do not normally work at the site were present.

More than 360 deputies arrived within a minute of the first 911 call. Many wore tactical gear. They spent two and a half hours clearing the main building and adjacent structures.

Officers conducted a floor-by-floor search. They found workers sheltering in locked rooms and closets and escorted them out of the buildings and parking garage.

Citigroup stated it was aware of the incident and cooperating with investigators. The complex consists of four three-story office buildings that house thousands of the bank’s staff.

Employees at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel, located a few hundred feet from the campus, took in fleeing workers. General Manager Matt Chauvin said Citibank staff told the front desk about an active shooter.

Chauvin estimated the hotel sheltered about 300 workers. Staff provided water and lunch, and some employees used hotel rooms to decompress or make phone calls. Chauvin said the hotel was far enough away to keep everyone safe.