Two people, including the armed suspect, lost their lives Wednesday afternoon following a shooting at the Citibank Center campus in Brandon, according to authorities.
Shortly after noon, an armed driver crashed a small four-door sedan through security fencing into an outdoor employee dining area, according to Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Frank Losat. The suspect exited the vehicle carrying a rifle and fatally shot a woman who was seated in the lunch area. Authorities have not yet released the victim’s name.
Four minutes after the initial 911 calls were received, an armed Citibank security guard confronted the gunman inside the cafeteria. The two exchanged gunfire, and the suspect sustained a gunshot wound, Losat confirmed. Paramedics transported the suspect to Tampa General Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
In addition to the woman who was killed, four other individuals received treatment at a local hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office officials previously characterized the shooting as a targeted incident, though investigators have not yet confirmed whether the suspect and the victim were known to each other.
More than 360 deputies, SWAT teams, and supporting local, state, and federal law enforcement officers arrived at the facility within minutes. Approximately 3,200 employees were present on the corporate campus at the time of the attack. Officers spent two and a half hours methodically searching and clearing multiple three-story buildings to fully secure the area.
During the immediate response, the sheriff’s office established staging sites to manage staff and concerned family members. The agency set up a triage station in the parking lot of the nearby Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel and directed employees’ families to gather at the Staybridge Suites Tampa East on Queen Palm Drive.
Officials credited the on-site security officer with stopping the suspect before additional casualties could occur.
“We stopped the threat. The security guard employed by Citibank stopped the threat. Was there potential for other violence? Absolutely,” Losat said. “Kudos to that security guard.”
Witness interviews and the ongoing criminal investigation are expected to continue through the night.
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