Two dead at Citibank Tampa campus

Two people died Wednesday after a shooting at the Citibank business complex in suburban Tampa. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths included a suspect and one other person.

More than 360 deputies entered the campus to clear the buildings. The complex contains four three-story office structures that employ thousands of workers in the Tampa area. Officers conducted a floor-by-floor search, according to radio traffic from responding units.

Sheriff Chad Chronister posted on X that authorities believed the event was a targeted incident. The sheriff’s office initially described the situation as an active threat while clearing the site. Long lines of employees exited the buildings and the parking garage as officers escorted them to safety.

Citigroup issued a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming it was cooperating with law enforcement. The bank did not provide further details in the brief release.

Doug Merritt said his son called him from the campus after hearing gunshots. Merritt’s son fled his workspace, leaving personal items behind, to reach a safe location. Merritt struggled to maintain contact for approximately one hour due to a poor internet connection.

“He was very close to it,” Merritt said. He noted his son was able to leave the area. Merritt said he remained upset while waiting to confirm his son’s safety.