Marine veteran’s split-second response stops Florida Citibank shooting from turning deadlier

BRANDON, FLORIDA: Newly released CCTV footage captures the moment Marine Corps veteran and Citibank security executive John Fraley confronted a gunman inside the company's Florida campus cafeteria, bringing a deadly workplace shooting to an end.

Fraley, 38, exchanged gunfire with suspect Jacob Pearson, 35, after Pearson allegedly shot and killed Citibank employee Leanne Selman, 41, outside the building on November 4. According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Fraley struck Pearson five times, stopping him before he could target additional employees at the campus, where approximately 3,200 people were present.

Authorities said Pearson had entered the facility armed with a rifle and handgun and was carrying approximately 90 rounds of ammunition.

CCTV footage captures John Fraley confronting gunman inside cafeteria

The surveillance footage shows the confrontation between Fraley and Pearson inside the Citibank campus cafeteria, where employees had been eating lunch before the shooting.

According to Chronister, Fraley, a Marine Corps veteran who serves as Citibank's vice president and intelligence lead analyst, responded after hearing gunfire outside the building.

Fraley reportedly took a tactical position near a men's restroom as Pearson entered the cafeteria. He then engaged the suspect in a shootout, firing multiple rounds and striking him five times.

The sheriff credited Fraley's intervention with preventing further deaths.

"John Fraley confronted this suspect and is a hero, plain and simple. In a moment when most people would run away from danger, this guard ran toward it and stopped the threat within minutes of the first shots being fired," Chronister said.

Authorities said Pearson fired approximately 15 rounds during the attack before being stopped.

Chronister noted that thousands of employees were present at the campus, emphasizing the potential for a significantly higher death toll had Fraley not intervened.

Gunman allegedly threatened attorney over $2,556 credit card debt hours before attack

Investigators revealed that Pearson had allegedly made threats earlier that morning over an unpaid credit card debt of approximately $2,556.

According to authorities, Pearson had received a court summons connected to the debt and became angry about the legal proceedings.

At approximately 9 am, he allegedly contacted an attorney's office affiliated with Citibank and threatened to arrive with an AR-15-style rifle and body armor unless the case was canceled.

The attorney's office subsequently notified Citibank security, which alerted law enforcement.

Officers attempted to locate Pearson at his Orlando residence but were informed that he had already left.

At approximately 12:10 pm, Pearson drove his vehicle through a security gate at Citibank's Brandon campus.

Authorities said he opened fire shortly afterward, targeting Selman, a nine-year Citibank employee who worked as a learning adviser for Citi Security and Investigative Services.

Investigators said Pearson's rifle malfunctioned after he fired three shots. He then returned to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun and shot Selman again as she attempted to crawl away.

Selman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said there was no known personal connection between Pearson and Selman.

After shooting her, Pearson entered the building and proceeded toward the cafeteria, where he encountered Fraley.

Sheriff praises Marine veteran as four others are treated following shooting

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrived within approximately one minute of the initial emergency calls.

Responding officers entered the building and reached the cafeteria at around 12:16 pm, where they found Pearson wounded following the confrontation with Fraley.

Pearson was transported to Tampa General Hospital and pronounced dead at approximately 1:12 pm.

Four other people were taken to hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries or medical concerns and were subsequently released.

Officials said those affected included individuals who sustained cuts and abrasions during the evacuation, experienced chest pains or required precautionary medical evaluation.

No additional gunshot victims were reported.

More than 367 Hillsborough County deputies responded to the shooting, alongside other local, state and federal agencies.

Authorities cleared the campus within approximately two hours.

Citigroup expressed condolences over Selman's death and said it was providing support to her family and affected employees.

The company also allowed employees at the Tampa-area campus to work remotely following the incident.

Chronister praised Fraley for his response, saying the Marine veteran's actions prevented the gunman from reaching additional potential victims.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the shooting, including Pearson's movements before the attack, the threats he allegedly made earlier that morning and the circumstances surrounding the confrontation inside the cafeteria.