Jacob Pearson and Citibank are at the center of a devastating situation after a reported dispute over a debt took a deadly turn. Authorities have shared chilling details about what unfolded at the company’s Tampa campus, including the actions of one employee who stepped in as the situation escalated.
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Jacob Pearson Reportedly Threatened Citibank Over $2,500 Debt
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Jacob Pearson, 35, traveled from Orlando to Citibank’s Tampa office after becoming irate over receiving a summons connected to an alleged $2,500 debt. Pearson reportedly threatened the attorney’s office handling Citibank’s collections, warning he would show up armed with an AR-15 rifle and a bulletproof vest unless they canceled the court case.
Citibank Security Alerted Police Amid Texts
Chronister said the attorney’s office took the threat seriously and contacted Citibank’s head of security, a retired Secret Service agent, who then alerted Orlando police and requested a welfare check. However, Pearson had already left Orlando by the time officers arrived. The security team also notified the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and detectives were dispatched to the Tampa campus, where approximately 3,200 employees were working.
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Marine Veteran Security Officer Stops Gunman, Suspect Kills 1
Authorities say Pearson crashed his vehicle through a gate and entered the campus courtyard, where he encountered Citibank employee Leanne Selman, 41, and shot her. After his rifle reportedly malfunctioned, he returned to his vehicle, retrieved a handgun, and fatally shot Selman as she attempted to crawl away. Pearson then made his way toward the campus cafeteria, where Sheriff Chronister said he appeared intent on finding additional victims.
That’s when Citibank security officer John Fraley, a Marine Corps veteran who also serves as the company’s vice president of operations, confronted Pearson. According to authorities, Fraley took a tactical position inside a men’s restroom before engaging the gunman in a shootout and firing five rounds, ultimately stopping him. Pearson was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he later died. Chronister praised Fraley’s actions, saying the security officer’s response prevented the situation from escalating further.
