On the night of March 15, 2020, Shannon R. Perkins, a 46-year-old male, was tragically killed in a mass shooting in Springfield, Missouri. Perkins, a waste management contractor, was inside a Kum & Go convenience store on East Chestnut Expressway when a gunman opened fire on employees and customers.
The perpetrator was identified as 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman.
His violent rampage began as he drove through Springfield, firing randomly at other vehicles before crashing his car into the Kum & Go. After the crash, Roman entered the store and began shooting, killing three people and injuring one. An employee who survived reported that Roman 'gave a speech about being disrespected throughout his life and wanting to inflict pain on others'.
The victims inside the store, in addition to Shannon Perkins, were 57-year-old employee Troy Rapp and 22-year-old customer Matthew Hicks-Morris. As police responded to the scene, Roman shot at them in the parking lot. Officer Christopher Walsh, 32, was fatally wounded while trying to rescue a victim, and Officer Josiah Overton was injured. After the exchange of gunfire with other responding officers, Roman was found deceased inside the store from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An investigation into Roman's motives revealed a troubled history. He had spoken to his mother about being 'infiltrated' and had searched online for 'mental illness' and 'tactical shooting' prior to the attack. His mother was concerned enough about his mental health that she was planning to visit him from out of state. A 2023 report by the United States Secret Service described Roman as holding 'neo-Nazi and anti-government beliefs' which he expressed on social media. Police found ammunition and magazines for the SKS rifle and Glock pistol he used in the shooting at his apartment. Both firearms had been legally acquired. Despite these findings, a clear and definitive motive for the shooting spree remains elusive to investigators.
