Gunman kills bank employee in Tampa following debt dispute

On Wednesday, November 5, 2026, a fatal shooting occurred at a Citibank office in Tampa, Florida. A 35-year-old gunman identified as Jacob Pearson drove his vehicle through the facility's gate before confronting staff regarding a $2,500 debt. Pearson killed a 41-year-old employee, Lynn Shellman, before being shot and neutralized by an onsite security guard.

Prior to the attack, Pearson had traveled from his home in Orlando after threatening the law firm handling his debt collection. In a recorded call, he demanded the case be dropped, threatening to arrive with an AR-15 and body armor if his demands were not met. The incident occurred at a complex employing approximately 3,200 staff members. Surveillance footage of the attack has been released, confirming the sequence of events where the assailant breached the premises and targeted the victim.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as authorities process evidence from the scene. Law enforcement officials are reviewing the threats made by the suspect prior to his arrival at the bank, as well as the actions taken by the security personnel who stopped the perpetrator.