Citibank Gunman Intended To Kill ‘As Many As Possible’, Hillsborough Sheriff Says

TAMPA, FL — The gunman who opened fire at the Citibank Center campus in Tampa's Sabal Park business area on Wednesday afternoon intended to kill as many people as possible, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.

“This was a tragic situation where a victim was killed by an individual who was intent on killing as many people as possible,” Chronister said in a statement provided in an HCSO news release.

The shooting left a woman dead and four other people injured, the sheriff’s office said. The gunman was fatally shot by an armed Citibank security guard after entering the building. The four injured people were later taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released 911 audio, body-camera footage and aerial video documenting the law enforcement response. (Watch the video below.)

Investigators were continuing to work to identify the gunman and establish a motive on Thursday.

The incident began just after noon on Wednesday, when the gunman drove a car over medians and across grass before crashing through a secured fence and into an outdoor dining area at the Citibank campus, HCSO said.

The gunman then got out of the vehicle carrying a rifle and approached a woman who was eating lunch outside, opening fire and killing her, investigators said.

The shooter then entered the building and headed toward the cafeteria, where he encountered an armed security guard employed by Citibank.

• Also Read: 2 Killed, Including Gunman, 4 Hospitalized After Citibank Center Shooting: HCSO

The guard confronted the gunman and exchanged gunfire with him, ultimately fatally shooting him around 12:15 p.m.

The first 911 calls came in at 12:11 p.m., and the first marked sheriff's deputy arrived within a minute, the sheriff’s office said.

The gunman was brought to Tampa General Hospital at 12:24 p.m. and pronounced dead at 1:12 p.m., the agency said.

More than 400 law enforcement personnel responded to the scene. Deputies searched several buildings on the campus, where about 3,200 people were present, as authorities worked to make sure there were no additional threats.

The victim was a Citigroup employee, CEO Jane Fraser confirmed in an internal memo to staff, according to Reuters. She expressed condolences to the victim's family and said the company was increasing security at other locations. The victim’s name hasn’t been publicly released.

Authorities haven’t publicly identified the gunman or said whether he was a current or former Citibank employee, contractor or vendor. Investigators also haven’t established whether he had a personal connection to the woman who was killed.

David Dzien, a Citibank vice president who witnessed the incident, said he was returning from lunch when he saw the car crash through the fence.

He initially thought the noise was an “incredible clatter” before realizing gunfire had erupted. He heard screams, ran back into the building and eventually evacuated through a fire exit.

The nearby Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel sheltered about 300 Citigroup employees following the shooting, offering food, water and rooms.

The Sheriff's Office has asked anyone with video of the incident to send it to videos@teamhcso.com.

This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.

Watch the HCSO video, including 911 audio, body-camera footage and aerial video, below:

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