A deadly attack at a major Citibank office complex near Tampa, Florida, began with a threatening phone call over an unpaid credit card debt and ended with two people dead, including the suspected attacker.

Authorities say 35-year-old Jacob Pearson drove from his home in Orlando to the Citibank campus in Hillsborough County on Wednesday, November 4, after becoming angry over a court summons connected to a debt of approximately $2,500. Before reaching the property, he had allegedly threatened an attorney’s office associated with the bank, warning that he would come to the company’s offices with a rifle and body armor if the legal matter was not canceled.

The warning prompted law enforcement agencies to begin looking for Pearson. Citibank also alerted authorities after receiving information about a credible threat to its Tampa-area campus.

But the situation escalated before officers could fully secure the property.

Shortly after noon, Pearson allegedly drove through a security fence, entered an outdoor area where employees were having lunch and opened fire. A 41-year-old Citibank employee, Leanne Selman, was fatally wounded.

The attack continued inside the complex, where an armed member of Citibank’s security team confronted Pearson in a cafeteria and exchanged gunfire with him. The security officer stopped the attack, but Pearson was also fatally wounded.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has since released a more detailed account of the events, identifying the people involved and explaining how a financial dispute escalated into a deadly incident at a workplace where approximately 3,200 people were present.

THE THREAT THAT CAME HOURS BEFORE THE ATTACK
Investigators say the events leading to the shooting began earlier Wednesday morning, when Pearson contacted an attorney’s office contracted to handle debt collection matters for Citibank.

At approximately 9 a.m., Pearson reportedly called the office while angry about a court summons involving an unpaid credit card balance.

According to Sheriff Chad Chronister, Pearson demanded that the legal proceeding be canceled and made a direct threat during the conversation.

He allegedly warned the call taker that he would come to the company’s offices carrying an AR-15-style rifle, a bulletproof vest and his own description of being in an unstable state of mind.

The threat was serious enough to trigger a response from law enforcement.

Because Pearson lived in Orlando, local officers were asked to check his residence and determine whether he was there. When officers arrived, Pearson was reportedly away from home.

His wife told authorities that he had already left and appeared to be angry.

Investigators also learned that Pearson had been seen leaving the residential complex in a vehicle. Orlando police circulated information about the threat to other agencies as efforts to locate him continued.

The warning was particularly concerning because the destination mentioned in the threat was connected to Citibank — the same company whose Tampa campus would become the scene of the attack later that day.

WHY WAS PEARSON ANGRY WITH CITIBANK?
The sheriff’s office has identified an unpaid credit card balance as the central issue behind the alleged threat.

Court records in Orange County show that Citibank filed a complaint against Pearson on October 23, seeking to recover $2,556.40 in unpaid credit card debt.

The amount was relatively small compared with the scale of the corporate operation he allegedly targeted, but the legal dispute appears to have become a major source of anger for him.

The court had issued a summons requiring Pearson to appear in connection with the case. Investigators say he was upset about the proceeding and wanted it canceled.

Authorities believe his anger over the debt collection process led him to threaten the attorney’s office and then travel to the company’s Tampa-area property.

However, investigators have not suggested that the employee who was killed had any personal involvement in the financial dispute.

In fact, Sheriff Chronister said Pearson had no known connection to Selman.

The available evidence therefore points to an attack directed at the company rather than a confrontation arising from a personal relationship between the suspect and his victim.

That distinction is important as investigators reconstruct the events and examine how Pearson selected the location.

A CREDIBLE WARNING REACHES THE TAMPA CAMPUS
As the search for Pearson continued in the Orlando area, information about the threat reached Citibank’s Tampa operation.

Shortly before noon, Citibank notified the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office about a credible threat involving its campus.

Deputies began responding and preparing to provide additional security.

The timing was critical. Pearson was already making his way toward the property, approximately 90 miles from his home in Orlando.

Authorities say the response was underway when the suspect reached the campus.

Despite the warning and the efforts to locate him, Pearson managed to enter the secured property with his vehicle.

The campus was especially busy that day. Approximately 3,200 employees were on the property, many of them working or taking their lunch break.

What had started as an ordinary workday was about to turn into an emergency involving multiple buildings, a large law enforcement response and a campus-wide effort to account for employees.

THE MINUTE-BY-MINUTE TIMELINE OF THE NOVEMBER 4 ATTACK
The following timeline combines information released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office with details provided by Sheriff Chronister and subsequent reporting.

9:00 A.M. — PEARSON ALLEGEDLY MAKES THE THREAT
Pearson contacts an attorney’s office connected to Citibank’s debt collection process.

He is reportedly angry about the court summons involving his unpaid credit card balance. During the call, he threatens to come to the company’s offices with a rifle and protective equipment unless the legal matter is canceled.

The call becomes the first major warning sign in the chain of events that follows.

LATER THAT MORNING — POLICE BEGIN LOOKING FOR HIM
The threat is reported to authorities in the Orlando area.

Officers conduct a welfare check at Pearson’s residence, but he is not there. His wife reportedly tells them that he has already left and appeared angry.

Police receive information that he has departed in a vehicle and alert other agencies.

SHORTLY BEFORE NOON — CITIBANK CONTACTS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Citibank informs the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office about a credible threat involving its Tampa campus.

Deputies immediately begin responding to the property.

The security warning gives authorities reason to take additional precautions, but Pearson is already approaching the location.

12:10 P.M. — VEHICLE CRASHES THROUGH THE CAMPUS GATE
Investigators say Pearson drives his vehicle through a security fence at the Citibank complex.

The vehicle enters the campus and crashes into an outdoor courtyard or seating area where employees are having lunch.

People in the area are suddenly confronted with an unfolding emergency.

12:11 P.M. — THE FIRST SHOTS ARE REPORTED
The sheriff’s office begins receiving 911 calls reporting shots fired.

According to the investigation, Pearson exits his vehicle carrying a rifle and approaches an employee in the outdoor area.

He allegedly opens fire on Leanne Selman, 41, who is fatally wounded.

Authorities later explain that the rifle malfunctioned after several shots. Pearson then reportedly returned to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun and continued firing at the same victim.

Selman was pronounced deceased at the scene.

APPROXIMATELY 12:12 P.M. — A SECURITY OFFICER CONFRONTS THE SUSPECT
After the initial attack outside, Pearson moves into the building.

An armed Citibank security officer encounters him inside the cafeteria.

The officer is identified by the sheriff’s office as John Fraley, 38, who held a senior security-related position at the company.

Rather than retreating, Fraley confronts Pearson. The two exchange gunfire, and the security officer strikes the suspect.

Sheriff Chronister later said Fraley fired multiple rounds, hitting Pearson five times and stopping the immediate threat.

The confrontation is described by authorities as a decisive moment that prevented the attacker from continuing through a campus occupied by thousands of employees.

12:16 P.M. — DEPUTIES REACH THE CAFETERIA
Hillsborough County deputies arrive at the cafeteria and move toward the reported location of the shooting.

They begin providing medical assistance to Pearson until Hillsborough County Fire Rescue personnel arrive.

Officers and emergency responders continue securing the surrounding area while other teams work to determine whether additional threats remain inside the complex.

12:24 P.M. — PEARSON IS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL
Pearson is taken to Tampa General Hospital for emergency treatment.

He is later pronounced deceased at 1:12 p.m.

AFTER THE SHOOTING — THE CAMPUS IS SEARCHED AND SECURED
Law enforcement agencies conduct a large-scale search of the property.

The sheriff’s office says 367 of its deputies responded, supported by specialized units including SWAT, aviation, drones and K-9 teams.

More than 400 law enforcement personnel from multiple agencies were involved in the broader response.

Buildings and secured areas are checked to make sure there are no additional attackers or injured people requiring assistance.

The sheriff’s office said the buildings were cleared within approximately two hours, while other reporting described the full security operation as taking around two and a half hours.

WHO WAS LEANNE SELMAN?
The victim was identified as 41-year-old Leanne Selman of Palm Harbor, Florida.

She had worked for Citibank for nine years and served as a Learning Advisor for Citi Security and Investigative Services, according to the sheriff’s office.

Her work placed her within the company’s security and investigative services operation, but authorities have not identified any personal connection between her and Pearson.

Sheriff Chronister emphasized that Selman was not known to have any relationship with the suspect.

That finding has helped investigators distinguish the alleged financial grievance against Citibank from the circumstances surrounding the person who lost her life.

Citigroup representatives described Selman as a valued and beloved employee. The company expressed condolences to her family, friends and colleagues, many of whom were working on the same campus when the attack happened.

For those who knew her, the incident was not simply a security emergency at a corporate office. It was the sudden loss of a colleague who had spent years working for the organization.

Her death also left employees facing the difficult task of returning to a workplace where an ordinary lunch break had turned into a traumatic event.

THE SECURITY OFFICER WHO STOPPED THE ATTACK
Authorities have publicly identified John Fraley, 38, as the Citibank security officer who confronted Pearson.

Fraley was not described simply as an outside guard stationed at the entrance. The sheriff’s office identified him as a senior member of Citibank’s security operation, serving as Vice President and Intelligence Lead Analyst.

Sheriff Chronister praised Fraley for moving toward the danger rather than away from it.

According to the sheriff’s account, Fraley heard the disturbance, positioned himself inside the building and confronted Pearson in the cafeteria.

The two exchanged gunfire before Fraley struck the suspect multiple times.

Chronister said Fraley’s actions stopped the threat within minutes of the first reported shots.

The security officer’s response has become a central part of the investigation because the campus contained thousands of employees at the time.

Authorities believe the confrontation prevented Pearson from continuing his attack against other people inside the complex.

The sheriff also credited the broader Citibank security team for its preparation and response.

The incident has raised questions about workplace security, the importance of responding to credible threats and how quickly a dangerous situation can develop even when warnings have already been reported.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INJURED?
Although the attack resulted in two deaths, authorities say no other person was shot.

Four additional people were taken to hospitals and treated for non-life-threatening injuries or medical concerns. Those injuries were associated with the chaos surrounding the incident, including people fleeing and experiencing symptoms such as chest pain.

They were subsequently released.

The sheriff’s office has not reported any additional fatalities among employees or responding personnel.

The number of people on the campus made the situation especially serious. Approximately 3,200 employees were present, meaning that a continued attack could potentially have affected many more people.

Hundreds of workers evacuated or moved to safer locations as the emergency response unfolded. Nearby facilities, including a hotel, were used as a place for employees to gather while authorities worked to secure the campus and help people reconnect with family members.

The operation required extensive coordination because deputies had to search multiple buildings, check secured rooms and make sure that no additional threat remained.

WHAT INVESTIGATORS LEARNED ABOUT THE SUSPECT
As authorities began releasing more details, the scale of the alleged preparation became clearer.

According to Sheriff Chronister, Pearson arrived with approximately 90 rounds of ammunition and fired 15 times before he was stopped.

Investigators also said his rifle malfunctioned after three shots, prompting him to retrieve another firearm from his vehicle.

The alleged threats made earlier that morning, the drive from Orlando, the vehicle entering the secured property and the weapons recovered during the investigation are all part of the evidence being examined.

The Associated Press also reported that Pearson had no known criminal history.

His father, Richard Pearson, told the news agency that he had not seen signs that his son was capable of carrying out such an attack. He said their last phone conversation had taken place several weeks earlier and that his son had sounded fine.

The family’s comments offer a different perspective from the account investigators have assembled about the threats and events leading up to the shooting.

Authorities have not publicly established every aspect of Pearson’s personal circumstances or what led him to escalate the debt dispute into an attack.

The investigation is focused on reconstructing his movements, examining the threat reports and determining how the response unfolded.

CITIBANK RESPONDS AS EMPLOYEES FACE THE AFTERMATH
Citigroup confirmed that the victim was one of its employees and said it was cooperating with law enforcement.

Chief Executive Jane Fraser expressed condolences to Selman’s loved ones and to colleagues affected by the tragedy.

The company also praised the security personnel whose actions helped prevent further harm.

The impact on employees extended beyond those who were physically present near the courtyard or cafeteria.

Many workers had witnessed the emergency response, heard the reports of gunfire or spent hours trying to determine whether their colleagues were safe.

Citigroup indicated that employees at the Tampa location would be allowed to work remotely while the company addressed the aftermath.

The company said it would not require employees to return to the scene immediately, recognizing that many had experienced a deeply traumatic event.

The decision also gave investigators additional time to complete their work at the property.

THE INVESTIGATION AND THE QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is treating the incident as a homicide investigation.

The main sequence of events has now been publicly outlined: a threat connected to a debt collection dispute, an alert to authorities, a vehicle entering the campus, the fatal attack on Selman and the confrontation that ended with Pearson’s death.

However, investigators still have to document the evidence and complete the remaining investigative steps.

Important areas include the communications made before the attack, the suspect’s movements from Orlando to Tampa, the circumstances surrounding the breach of the campus fence and the sequence of events inside the building.

Authorities have also asked anyone with relevant video footage to submit it to the sheriff’s office.

The case has drawn attention to how a dispute over a relatively modest financial balance could escalate into a deadly attack at a workplace.

It also highlights the importance of taking direct threats seriously. In this case, the warning was reportedly made hours before the shooting, police in another county were already trying to locate the suspect, and the company had contacted local authorities before he entered the property.

Despite those warnings, the attack still occurred.

A WORKPLACE LUNCH BREAK THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY
By the time the campus was secured, two people had lost their lives: Leanne Selman, an employee who had worked for Citibank for nine years, and Jacob Pearson, the man authorities say carried out the attack.

Four other people had received medical treatment, and thousands of employees had been forced to confront an emergency they could not have anticipated when they arrived at work that morning.

The actions of John Fraley and the rapid response by law enforcement were credited with stopping the violence before more people were harmed.

But the incident has left a lasting impact on the Citibank community and on Selman’s family and colleagues.

What began as a dispute over a credit card debt and a court summons became a deadly confrontation at a corporate campus filled with ordinary employees going about their day.

The investigation has provided a clearer picture of how the events unfolded, but the central question remains difficult to ignore: how did a threat made hours earlier turn into an attack that cost an innocent employee her life?