An armed security guard was credited with stopping a gunman who drove onto the Citibank Center campus in Tampa on Wednesday, killing a woman and opening fire inside a cafeteria.
Just after noon, the suspect drove through a fence at the Sabal Park Office Development and crashed into an outdoor dining area where people were having lunch, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Frank Losat said. The gunman then got out of the vehicle carrying a rifle and shot a woman, who died.
A Citibank security guard confronted the suspect inside a nearby building’s cafeteria. The two exchanged gunfire, and the suspect was shot. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he later died.
“The security guard that’s employed by Citibank stopped the threat,” Losat said, adding that the guard may have prevented further violence. He praised the company for employing armed security.
Four other people were treated at a local hospital for injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Authorities have not said where they were hurt.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived within minutes of the shooting report. About 3,200 Citibank employees were on campus at the time, Losat said, and 367 law enforcement personnel responded.
Investigators expect to interview witnesses into the night. The crime scene includes both outdoor and indoor areas, and processing could continue for several hours or into Thursday, Losat said.
Authorities have not released the names of the suspected gunman or the woman who was killed, pending notification of their families. Investigators are still working to establish a motive. The Citibank property has been cleared.
Nearby Hillsborough College asked students and staff to shelter in place. The FBI and ATF also responded to the scene.
Citibank said it was aware of an incident at its Tampa site and was coordinating with law enforcement.
Employees were directed to meet at a triage area in the parking lot of the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel. Families were told to gather at a reunification site at Staybridge Suites Tampa East.
The Citibank Center is a regional data processing and communications hub. The campus includes four three-story office buildings, each about 130,000 square feet, along with a 138,000-square-foot amenities building.
The development has around 25,000 employees and includes dining services, a gym, child care, a bank branch and several shops.
