Citibank employee recalls deadly Brandon office shooting as chaos unfolded
Citibank employees recount shooting
Many Citibank employees returned Thursday to pick up belongings they left behind as chaos began unfolding after the suspect rammed his car into a fence on campus and opened fire. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.
BRANDON, Fla. - Citibank employees returned to their offices Thursday to retrieve the belongings they left behind when they were evacuated as a gunman opened fire.
Brandon Citibank shooting investigation
What we know:
Hillsborough County detectives identified the victim as LeAnne Selman, 41, who was a human resources employee and had worked at Citibank for about nine years. She was eating lunch outside when she was randomly targeted and killed by a gunman who had driven his car through an exterior fence and onto the Citibank Center campus in Brandon.
Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
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Investigators say she had no connection to the gunman.
About 3,200 employees were working inside the building when the shooting unfolded. Many evacuated so quickly they left behind personal belongings, including bags, glasses and shoes.
Employees were allowed back inside Thursday to retrieve those items.
READ: Citibank Center deadly shooting: What we know about the victims
What they're saying:
Citibank spokesperson Ed Skyler said the company is working to support employees as they cope with the loss.
"We are making sure we're offering whatever resources we can to support them. It's been a heart-breaking two days. We hope there are better days ahead," Skyler said.
Citibank employees recount evacuation
Local perspective:
One employee, who asked to remain anonymous, was working on the building's third floor when the shooting began. He initially thought it was a fire drill before hearing screams and people shouting about a gunman.
He and several coworkers eventually locked themselves inside a small room, where they waited for the situation to end.
MORE: Citibank Center deadly shooting: What we know about the suspect
"All I hear is, ‘gun, gun, he's got a gun, we have to move, we've got to get out here!’ So it was just utter chaos and mayhem," he said.
The employee, who has a military background, said he tried to remain calm and help others make safe decisions.
"I felt very vulnerable in that moment. You're essentially locked in a small closet with six other people, most of them being women who have never been in a situation or even heard gunfire before, and they're freaking out, and you're trying to be logical and help them through this."
He said he was also concerned about the possibility of people being trampled as thousands of employees scrambled to escape. The employee credited the armed security guard with saving lives, saying he was grateful for the guard's quick response.
"Again, [I want to] thank the security guard and my coworker that really stuck on their feet or was thinking on their feet. The bravery of the security that secured the scene and took out the suspect before the police could even get there."
Corporate mental health response
What's next:
Skyler said Citibank is giving employees time and flexibility to process what happened and will not force them to return to work before they are ready. Employees are also being offered support resources as they grieve Selman's death and begin recovering from the traumatic experience.
The Source: Information for this story came from a news conference with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and Citibank spokesperson Ed Skyler, along with an interview with a Citibank employee and previous reporting.