Two people were killed in a shooting at the “Sabal Center” office complex in Brandon, near Tampa, Florida. One of the victims was a woman, while the other person who died was the suspect, who authorities said opened fire at the Citibank complex.
Reports of gunshots were received at 12:11 p.m. local time on November 4. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the suspect drove through several medians, breached a fence and crashed near an area where employees were having lunch. He then got out of the vehicle with a rifle and shot at a woman.
An armed Citibank security officer engaged the suspect in a shootout in the complex's cafeteria and shot him. The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:12 p.m. The names of the two deceased have not been released.
“There was a real danger of further violence,” Chief Deputy Sheriff Frank Losat told the Associated Press, thanking the security officer for his actions.
About 3,200 People Were in the Complex
Four people were taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. According to the Associated Press, it has not yet been determined whether they were shot or were injured during the evacuation and the collision with the vehicle.
About 3,200 employees were in the complex. A total of 367 sheriff's deputies responded to the scene, including SWAT, aviation, drone and canine teams. Officers searched the buildings and parking lot while people were escorted out of locked offices, storage rooms and other areas.
There is a discrepancy in the reported time when the operation ended. The sheriff's office said the buildings had been secured within two hours, while the Associated Press reported that the search of the main and neighboring buildings took about two and a half hours.
Motive Remains Unknown
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister described the case as a likely targeted incident, but authorities have not identified a motive or confirmed whether the suspect and the woman who was killed knew each other.
Citigroup said it had been notified of the incident and was cooperating with the investigation. Police continue to collect video footage and interview employees and witnesses. The sheriff's office is expected to provide additional information about the identities of the deceased, the motive and any possible connection between them.
Sources: apnews.com, wusf.org