Shooting at Citibank office near Tampa, 2 dead including assailant

Two people, including a woman and the assailant, were killed in a shooting on Wednesday at a Citibank office complex located on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida. According to a report by The Independent, the assailant drove his car into an outdoor seating area where employees were having lunch. He then exited the vehicle and began firing. Police believe this was a targeted attack.

Following multiple reports of shooting in the vast business complex in the afternoon, hundreds of police officers rushed to the scene. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, an armed security guard at Citibank took immediate action and confronted the assailant in the cafeteria. The assailant was wounded in the clash and later died in the hospital.

Chief Deputy Frank Losata stated, "No one from this agency or federal agencies hesitated to confront the suspect." He added that there was a possibility of further violence, making the security guard's actions commendable.

A video showed the assailant walking across the yard with a rifle and advancing towards the victim. However, the assailant's motive and whether he knew the woman remain unclear. There were 3,200 Citibank employees present on campus at the time of the incident. TV footage showed long lines of employees exiting office buildings as more than 365 officers cordoned off the complex.

Four other people were treated at a local hospital at the time of the incident, but Losata did not clarify whether they had been shot or hit by the assailant's car. Citibank Vice President David DeZane told The Associated Press that while returning to work after lunch, he saw the assailant's sedan crash through a fence about 150 yards (137 metres) away from him. He then heard the sound of gunfire. DeZane said people were screaming and running, prompting them to rush into the building and exit via the fire escape.

DeZane further mentioned that several 'VIPs', who do not normally work at the complex, were present that day for a 'quarterly review'. Another witness told local CBS affiliate WTSP that they heard people screaming and saw panicked faces, followed by the sound of three gunshots.

A concerned father, Doug Merritt, told The Associated Press that his son had called him to say he had fled the scene after hearing the shooting. Merritt said his son was very close to the site and managed to escape, leaving his belongings behind. Due to a poor internet connection, they were unable to contact their son for nearly an hour, causing them great distress.

In a statement issued by Citigroup, it was mentioned that they are aware of the incident and are cooperating with the police.