Cameron Steel
Key facts about the Citibank shooting
- Reported debt: Authorities said Jacob Pearson traveled to Citibank’s Tampa campus after a dispute involving an alleged $2,500 debt.
- Reported threat: Pearson reportedly threatened the law firm handling Citibank’s collections before going to the campus.
- Campus shooting: Authorities said Pearson shot Citibank employee Leanne Selman and later killed her.
- Security response: Citibank security officer John Fraley confronted Pearson and stopped the gunman, according to authorities.
Jacob Pearson and Citibank were at the center of a fatal shooting following a reported dispute over a debt. Authorities described what happened at the company’s Tampa campus, including how an employee intervened as the situation escalated.
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Why did Jacob Pearson reportedly threaten Citibank over a $2,500 debt?
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Jacob Pearson, 35, traveled from Orlando to Citibank’s Tampa office after becoming angry about receiving a summons related to an alleged $2,500 debt. Pearson reportedly threatened the law firm handling Citibank’s collections, saying he would arrive armed with an AR-15 rifle and a bulletproof vest unless the firm canceled the court case. Pearson’s reported threat followed a summons connected to the alleged debt. Authorities said Pearson threatened the law firm over the court case before traveling to the Tampa campus.
How did Citibank security alert police to the reported threat?
Citibank’s security team alerted law enforcement after the attorney’s office reported the threat. Chronister said the office contacted Citibank’s head of security, a retired Secret Service agent, who notified Orlando police and requested a welfare check. Pearson had already left Orlando when officers arrived. The security team also notified the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, which sent detectives to the Tampa campus, where approximately 3,200 employees were working. Citibank security notified police and sheriff’s investigators about Pearson’s reported threat.
How did a Marine veteran security officer stop the gunman?
Authorities said Pearson drove through a gate and entered the campus courtyard, where he shot Citibank employee Leanne Selman, 41. After his rifle reportedly malfunctioned, Pearson returned to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun and fatally shot Selman as she tried to crawl away. He then moved toward the campus cafeteria, where Sheriff Chronister said he appeared intent on finding more victims. Authorities said Pearson shot Selman before moving toward the cafeteria.
Citibank security officer John Fraley, a Marine Corps veteran and the company’s vice president of operations, confronted Pearson. Authorities said Fraley took a tactical position inside a men’s restroom, engaged Pearson in a shootout and fired five rounds, stopping him. Pearson was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he later died. Chronister said Fraley’s response prevented the situation from escalating further. Authorities said Fraley stopped Pearson after firing five rounds.
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What Do You Think Roomies?
Questions about the Citibank campus shooting
What was the reported debt dispute about?
Authorities said Pearson traveled to Citibank’s Tampa office after receiving a summons tied to an alleged $2,500 debt. He reportedly threatened the law firm handling Citibank’s collections.
Who was Leanne Selman?
Leanne Selman was a 41-year-old Citibank employee who was shot and killed on the company’s Tampa campus, according to authorities.
Who stopped the gunman?
Authorities said Citibank security officer John Fraley confronted Pearson and stopped him after firing five rounds.
What happened to Jacob Pearson?
Pearson was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where authorities said he later died.
Sophie Langley
Mason Thompson
