Gunman killed by armed guard after deadly shooting at Brandon Citibank: HCSO
Deadly Citibank shooting press conference
Chief Deputy Frank Losat with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office gives an update on a shooting that left a suspect and a victim dead on Wednesday afternoon in Brandon.
BRANDON, Fla. - An armed security guard shot and killed a gunman who drove onto the Citibank Center campus in Brandon on Wednesday, shot a woman outside before entering the cafeteria.
Brandon office shooting details
What we know:
Emergency calls began pouring into 911 dispatchers at 12:11 p.m. reporting gunfire at the corporate plaza, bringing the first marked Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office unit to the scene within one minute, according to Chief Deputy Frank Losat with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He said the driver plowed a small, four-door sedan over medians and grass before crashing through a secure fence line into an outdoor dining area.
Investigators said the gunman stepped out of the wrecked car holding a rifle, walked up to a woman who was sitting outside eating lunch and shot her. The shooter then moved inside the building toward the cafeteria, where an armed security officer confronted him at 12:15 p.m., traded gunfire, and fatally wounded the attacker.
HCSO, SWAT respond to 'active threat' at Citibank Center
A heavy law enforcement presence at a Brandon Citibank prompted deputies to issue an urgent traffic advisory Wednesday, asking commuters to steer completely clear of a busy nearby intersection.
Unidentified suspect and victims
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the names of the dead shooter or the woman he shot near the patio. It remains unclear whether the gunman and the female victim knew each other before the attack.
Officials have not explained how four other people hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries were hurt during the incident. Detectives plan to spend Wednesday night questioning witnesses to pinpoint the motive behind the violence.
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Armed guard stops threat
What they're saying:
"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."
Officials credited extensive multi-agency active shooter preparation for the rapid containment. "This is a sad day for everybody involved, the Tampa Bay Area and surrounding communities and law enforcement partners," Losat said.
Brandon Citibank employee recounts panic as police moved in
FOX 13's Kylie Jones spoke with someone who works at one of the food court stations inside the bank to understand how everything unfolded.
Massive emergency law response
By the numbers:
The shooting triggered a response from 367 Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies, specialized SWAT teams in tactical gear, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews, and state and federal partners. First responders spent two and a half hours clearing and searching six or seven three-story buildings across the office complex.
Roughly 3,200 Citibank workers were inside the facilities when gunfire broke out, according to emergency officials. Paramedics took the wounded gunman to Tampa General Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an official briefing by Losat, who detailed the police and emergency response, as well as incident reports from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.