On March 15, 2020, a mass shooting occurred in Springfield, Missouri, United States. After firing indiscriminately from his vehicle at passerby, 31-year-old Joaquin Roman shot and killed four people at a Kum & Go convenience store before committing suicide. It is believed to be one of two public mass shootings to occur in the U.S. in all of 2020, with the other occurring in February in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Shooting
Between 11:24 p.m. and 11:43 p.m. CST, multiple emergency calls were made regarding a man in a black 2019 Volkswagen vehicle shooting at random vehicles in eastern Springfield. The shooter drove northward before crashing his vehicle at a Kum & Go convenience store on East Chestnut Expressway. He entered the store at 11:43 p.m. and opened fire on those inside, killing three and injuring one. An employee who was wounded told the Springfield News-Leader that the shooter had a "psychotic break" and "gave a speech about being disrespected throughout his life and wanting to inflict pain on others". One person inside the store survived by hiding from the gunman. Officers Christopher Walsh and Josiah Overton of the Springfield Police Department were shot at in the parking lot as they responded to the shooting; Walsh was fatally wounded. After other officers arrived at the scene, they discovered that the shooter had committed suicide.

Victims
The victims inside the store were identified as 57-year-old employee Troy Rapp, 46-year-old waste management contractor Shannon Perkins, and 22-year-old customer Matthew Hicks-Morris. The police officer killed outside the store was 32-year-old Christopher Walsh. Employee Jayne Gilson was shot five times but survived; he was initially hospitalized in critical condition, but was upgraded to stable condition on March 26. Police officer Josiah Overton suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigation
On March 16, police served a search warrant at Roman's apartment in Springfield. Due to concerns that the shooter had planted booby traps in his residence, a SWAT team used a Lenco BearCat to enter the apartment. Police recovered accessories—including ammunition and magazines—for the SKS rifle and Glock pistol used in the attack. Both firearms used in the shooting were legally acquired. Items that were seized included an IPad, a computer, paperwork, and a counterfeit Social Security card.  Police are trying to determine a motive for the attack using Roman's electronic devices and other belongings.

Perpetrator
The shooter was identified as 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman. Prior to the shooting, he had talked to his mother about being "infiltrated" and had searched online for "mental illness" and "tactical shooting". Roman's mother had spoken to him by phone call shortly before the shootings began, and was planning to visit him from another state due to concerns about her son's mental health. Roman had minor interactions with law enforcement, consisting of four traffic citations. He had moved from California to Missouri in 2019.

In Mass Attacks in Public Spaces: 2016 - 2020, a 2023 report released by the United States Secret Service, Roman was described as holding "neo-Nazi and anti-government beliefs" which he expressed on social media. He also used an unspecified social media platform to establish groups pertaining to his ideology. In one group, he and another member "ranted about server administrators that did not tolerate neo-Nazism" and intended to livestream a campaign of online harassment against groups they felt opposed them.

Response
Springfield mayor Ken McClure and Police Chief Paul Williams expressed their condolences to those affected by the shooting. Following the shooting, Kum & Go created a relief fund for the families of the victims.

See also
 List of mass shootings in the United States in 2020

References

2020 in Missouri
2020 mass shootings in the United States
2020 murders in the United States
21st-century mass murder in the United States
Attacks on buildings and structures in 2020
Attacks on buildings and structures in the United States
Deaths by firearm in Missouri
Drive-by shootings
History of Springfield, Missouri
March 2020 crimes in the United States
March 2020 events in the United States
Mass shootings in Missouri
Mass shootings in the United States
Mass murder in 2020
Murder in Missouri
Murder–suicides in Missouri
Spree shootings in the United States