A woman was killed and 4 others were injured after an armed suspect stormed the Citibank Center campus in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday, opening fire on employees before exchanging gunfire with an armed security guard. The suspect was also shot and later died at a hospital.
The shooting was first reported shortly after noon, with the suspect driving a small four-door sedan over several medians, crossing a grassy area and crashing through a secured fence surrounding the property. The vehicle struck an outdoor seating area where multiple employees were having lunch.
The suspect then got out of the vehicle carrying a rifle and approached a woman seated in the dining area, shooting her. She was pronounced dead, and her identity has not been released pending notification of her family.
The first marked law enforcement unit arrived at approximately 12:12 p.m. and entered the building. Four minutes after the initial 911 calls, an armed security guard employed by Citibank confronted the suspect inside the building’s cafeteria. The two exchanged gunfire, and the suspect was wounded.
He was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Chief Deputy Frank Losat said 4 other people were injured and taken to a local hospital. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Approximately 3,200 employees were on the campus during the attack. More than 360 Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies, SWAT teams and personnel from local, state and federal agencies responded to the scene.
Law enforcement spent approximately 2.5 hours clearing the campus, searching multiple three-story buildings and securing the property.
The sheriff’s office credited the armed security guard with stopping the attack and preventing further violence. Investigators continued interviewing witnesses as they worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.