360 deputies clear Citibank campus after two killed in Tampa shooting
Sheriff’s office called the incident targeted after an active threat forced a floor-by-floor search of four office buildings.
By Marco Whitaker ·
More than 360 Hillsborough County deputies swarmed a Citibank business campus in suburban Tampa on Wednesday after a shooting left two people dead.
The complex, which includes four three-story office buildings employing thousands of workers, became the site of an active threat. Witnesses reported gunshots, prompting a rapid response from law enforcement. TV footage showed long lines of employees streaming out of the buildings while officers coordinated the search.
Sheriff Chad Chronister posted on the social platform X that authorities were clearing the building. He described the event as a targeted incident. The sheriff’s office confirmed that a suspect and one other person died during the shooting. It was not immediately clear if anyone else sustained injuries.
Officers conducted an exhaustive floor-by-floor search of the campus. They located people sheltering in locked rooms and closets, carefully escorting them to safety from the buildings and the parking garage. Radio traffic from responding units detailed the methodical nature of the sweep.
Citigroup said in a statement that it was aware of the incident and was cooperating with authorities. Doug Merritt, whose son works at the complex, said he was startled when his son called to say he had fled after hearing the gunfire. Merritt said his son left his belongings behind to escape the area.
Merritt spent about an hour trying to reach his son over a bad internet connection. He said he wanted his son to get to safety and was upset during the wait. The son was able to leave the campus before the search concluded.
