A security guard at a Tampa-area Citibank campus shot and killed a gunman who murdered a woman and injured four others in a violent rampage Wednesday, authorities said. The guard’s swift action likely prevented further casualties.
Chaos at the Business Park
The shooter drove a sedan through a fence at the Sabal Park business campus in Brandon, Florida, plowed through several medians, and crashed into an outdoor seating area where employees were eating lunch. Armed with a rifle, he shot a woman before entering the building’s cafeteria, where a security guard engaged him in gunfire.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Frank Losat confirmed the suspect was fatally shot by the guard at approximately 12:13 p.m., just minutes after initial 911 calls. “Kudos to that security guard,” Losat said at a press conference, emphasizing that the situation could have been much worse without his intervention.
Victims and Response
The deceased victim, a woman whose identity has not been released, was shot before the exchange in the cafeteria. Four other employees were injured and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Approximately 3,200 employees were on the sprawling business campus when the attack occurred.
Witnesses described a scene of panic. Adara Evans, a Citi analyst, told the Tampa Bay Times that she was eating outside when she heard a loud crash and saw the car barreling through tables. Cherron Martin, another employee, was in the cafeteria when the gunman stormed the building, prompting a frantic evacuation.
Investigation Underway
Authorities have not released the gunman’s identity or determined a motive. Sheriff Chad Chronister initially described the attack as “targeted,” but investigators cautioned they are still piecing together details. Federal agencies assisted in securing the scene, with 367 sheriff’s deputies conducting a painstaking search of the premises.
Citi said in a statement that it was cooperating with law enforcement. The nearby Hillsborough Community College briefly went on lockdown but later received an all-clear.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/gunman-opens-fire-on-employees-a-security-guard-stops-him-cold