Citibank shooting: New details emerge on law enforcement response
TAMPA, Fla. - A bitter dispute over a $2,500 store credit card debt culminated in gunfire at a Citibank corporate campus in Hillsborough County on Wednesday, where an armed Orlando man was killed by private security after driving through a security gate.
Gunman targets Citibank office
The backstory:
Court records from Orange County reveal that 35-year-old Jacob Pearson had grown furious after being sued over $2,500 owed on a Best Buy credit card. Pearson originally opened the account in July 2025 following an initial purchase of about $692.
The conflict escalated into a direct threat made to an attorney contracted by Citibank to collect the outstanding balance. Pearson told the lawyer the exact amount of time it would take him to drive from Orlando to Citibank's Tampa property.
Deputies coordinate campus defense
Timeline:
Orlando police officers went to Pearson's home to investigate the report, but he had already left the property. Hillsborough County deputies received notice of the potential danger at approximately 11:55 a.m. Wednesday.
Deputies arrived on site and were coordinating an active security posture alongside corporate staff when shots rang out about 16 minutes after the initial warning. Within seconds of the opening gunfire, hundreds of law enforcement officers rushed to the facility to back up the initial units.
Security guard halts attack
What we know:
Pearson crashed a vehicle through an entrance gate to gain access to the secure corporate grounds. A member of the Citibank security staff, who is a Marine veteran, shot and killed Pearson before he could harm workers inside.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister confirmed Thursday that the rapid escalation took place just as first responders were setting up defensive perimeters.
Industry leaders assess response
What they're saying:
"There are threats that come in frequently," said Ed Skyler, head of public affairs at Citibank. "They are all assessed. As you heard from the sheriff, this threat was taken incredibly seriously. The reach out to Orlando PD, our security team was aware of it, was changing their security posture as the event was starting."
Security consultant Matthew Miraglia of Crisis Leadership Preparedness Solutions said it is too early to determine whether the combined law enforcement and private security intervention was handled properly.
"I think we need more information," Miraglia said. "We always want a Monday morning quarterback and to find fault. But from what I'm seeing, and I'm being very objective, it looks like once they determined this is a viable threat, they immediately notified the sheriff's office, and it sounds like this individual was so determined, he drove through a gate."
Corporate campus reviews safety
What's next:
Miraglia says that Citibank will have to look closely at its property and make sure all entry points are blocked from traffic. He also expects detailed investigations from HCSO, Orlando Police and Citibank to evaluate its threat response.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, who detailed the law enforcement timeline during a press briefing, as well as statements from Citibank Head of Public Affairs Ed Skyler, court records filed in Orange County, and an interview with security analyst Matthew Miraglia.