Man who shot self at Tampa FDOT building was outraged with transportation officials
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Jacksonville man who fatally shot himself after threatening to drive into a Florida Department of Transportation building has been identified as Gregory Parsons. He was in his 60s.
8 On Your Side has learned Parsons called himself a transportation engineering consultant. According to his website, he had a grudge against the FDOT that led him to Tampa where he ended up taking his life last Wednesday.
The scene unfolded along McKinley Drive outside the FDOT building.
“He said that he was going to drive his vehicle in, he said he had a bomb and said he was going to cause harm,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.
Chief Bercaw said a receptionist received a concerning call from Parsons on Wednesday.
“It’s clear that this subject was here to cause harm,” he said.
When officers arrived on scene, Parsons took his own life. Law enforcement searched parson’s SUV and found two guns, high capacity magazines and cans of gasoline.
Parsons attended a Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting in February of 2023.
“My name is Greg Parsons,” he said. “I live in Jacksonville. In 2004, I invented the Parallel Flow Intersection or PFI.”
Parsons said his design concept is cost effective and a solution. He had been pitching his idea to state and local officials, though he said it had never been constructed. Later on, in that meeting when FDOT officials were presenting data, Parsons continuously interrupted and appears to have an outburst.
“I think you need to leave,” an officer said.
Parsons accused FDOT and the Pasco County MPO of costing him and taxpayers millions of dollars. He posted a series of videos over the past seven years of what he says is a “full account of their unlawful misconduct.”
“This is the right way to do it and what should’ve been done in the first place,” Parsons said.
While investigators haven’t released a motive of what unfolded here last week, Parsons was clearly outraged.
FDOT officials sent 8 On Your Side this statement: “FDOT’s utmost gratitude goes out to all first responders, including our law enforcement personnel (Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, and Tampa Police Department) whose quick actions kept our team safe and contained the incident. As this is an ongoing investigation, FDOT declines any further comments and directs questions to FDLE.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating.
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