Florida sheriff says 2 dead, including suspect, as witnesses report shooting at Tampa office complex

TAMPA, Fla. — Florida authorities said two people were dead, including a suspect, after witnesses reported a shooting Wednesday at Citibank’s sprawling business complex that employs thousands in the Tampa area.

More than 360 deputies swarmed the campus, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said. TV video showed long lines of workers streaming out of the office buildings. The Sheriff’s Office said a suspect and one other person were dead. It was not immediately known whether anyone else was injured.

“We believe this is a targeted incident,” Sheriff Chad Chronister posted on social media.

The Citibank campus in suburban Tampa includes four three-story office buildings that house thousands of the banking giant’s employees. Radio traffic on Broadcastify.com from officers who responded described an exhaustive floor-by-floor search of the complex’s buildings. Officers found people sheltering in locked rooms and closets and carefully escorted them from the buildings and parking garage.

Citigroup said in a statement that it was “aware of an incident” at the complex and was cooperating with authorities.

Doug Merritt said he was startled when his son called him from the Citibank campus, saying he had fled after hearing gunshots.

“He was very close to it,” Merritt told the Associated Press. “He left all this stuff where he was at and he was able to get out of there.”

For around an hour, Merritt said, he didn’t know whether his son was safe as he struggled to get in touch over a bad internet connection.

“I wanted him to get to safety,” he said. “I was upset.”

Bynum and O’Meara write for the Associated Press. Bynum reported from Savannah, Ga. AP journalists Cybele Mayes-Osterman in Chicago, R.J. Rico in Atlanta and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this story.