Citibank Center Tampa shooting timeline: What happened, minute by minute

TAMPA, Fla. - An Orlando man, irate over a court summons related to an unpaid credit card debt, allegedly drove over an hour to Citibank's corporate campus in Tampa, where he drove through a fence, and shot and killed a woman who was eating lunch, before he was confronted and fatally shot by an armed Citibank security guard, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has released an initial timeline of the shooting and the response.

Timeline: Inside deadly Citibank Center shooting attack

Timeline:

Suspect calls attorney, ‘irate’ over court summons

At 9 am., Jacob Pearson called an attorney's office who is contracted with Citibank to handle collections. Pearson is "irate" over a court summons related to a $2,500 unpaid credit card debt.

"Unless you want me to go over there with my AR-15, my bulletproof vest, and my insanity, you ‘MF-ing’ cancel this court case. Do you understand me? They are only an hour and three minutes away, so the last thing you want to do is ‘F’ with me," he said to the call taker at the attorney's office.

Orlando police conduct a welfare check at Pearson's home

The threat was reported and, because Pearson is from Orlando, Orlando police were asked to conduct a welfare check at his home. His wife was home, but Pearson was not. She told deputies he left the house and appeared to be angry. 

Officers reportedly saw Pearson leave his home and issued an alert to other agencies.

Hillsborough County alerts to the threat

Around 12 p.m., Citibank alerted the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office of a credible threat to its Tampa campus. Deputies immediately respond.

Minutes later, Pierson crashes through a fence at Citibank campus

At 12:10 p.m. Pierson crashes through a fence into Citibank Campus and drives into an outdoor seating area, where people are eating and enjoying their lunch.

First shots fired

At 12:11 p.m. Pierson gets out of his car armed with a rifle and shoots Leanne Selman, 41, a longtime Citibank employee, who is outside eating lunch. Pierson's rifle malfunctions. He goes back to his car, grabs a handgun, and shoots and kills Selman, as she was attempting to crawl away. 

At the same time, Hillsborough County deputies arrive on scene, hear the gunfire, and run towards it.

Citibank armed guard confronts Pearson, shoots him

Around 12:12 p.m., an armed Citibank security guard, John Fraley, confronts Pearson in the cafeteria and shoots him. The two exchange gunfire. Pearson is hit.

Suspect taken to the hospital, declared dead

At 12:16 p.m. deputies arrived at the cafeteria and began providing aid to Pearson until Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived. Pearson was transported to Tampa General Hospital.

At 1:12 p.m. Pearson was declared dead at Tampa General Hospital. 

What we know about the victims

Local perspective:

LeAnne Selman, 41, of Palm Harbor, died Wednesday after a gunman breached the Citibank Center courtyard, according to deputies. The 41-year-old worked in human resources as a learning advisor for Citi security investigative services and was remembered across the corporate campus as a beloved employee.

"Our hearts are broken for Selman's family, friends, and coworkers. She went to work yesterday like any other day and never came home," said Sheriff Chronister. "There is no justification for this cowardly act of senseless violence that has left a family and a community heartbroken."

Four other people were hurt, taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and have since been released, the sheriff's office said.

What we know about the "hero" security guard

What they're saying:

John Fraley has been named as the Citibank security guard who engaged the suspect inside the cafeteria and shot him several times, ending the shooting threat. He's  also reportedly a Marine Corps veteran and the vice president of operations at Citibank.

"What (the suspect) encounters is a security officer, who is also the VP of operations. He's apart of Citibank's security team, who also happens to be a highly trained Marine Corp veteran, who says that ‘this is gonna end right now.’ He encounters the suspect," said Sheriff Cronister.

In our scenario, what you're watching now, is our hero. This Citibank employee who runs towards danger. He takes a tactical position in the mens' restroom, knowing that he heard the gunshots, he heard the doors open, he sees the suspect coming, and he engages this suspect. He fires rounds, and now he finds himself in a gunfight because the suspect is returning gunfire. He fires some more rounds and he's able to strike the suspect five times," said Chronister.

Sheriff Chronister said nearly 5,000 people work at Citibank's Tampa office, though there were 3,200 there on Tuesday, and said Fraley's actions "saved lives."

"We are deeply grateful to the entire Citibank security team for their training, their preparedness, and their bravery under unimaginable pressure," he said in a statement included in a news release. 

The Source: This story uses information and statements from Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister during a Wednesday press conference, as well as information included in a HCSO news release.