Joaquin Roman and the 2020 Springfield, Missouri Mass Shooting
Overview
On the night of March 15, 2020, 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman carried out a brief but deadly shooting rampage in Springfield, Missouri. Roman fired at people and vehicles while driving through the eastern part of the city before crashing outside a Kum & Go convenience store at 2885 East Chestnut Expressway. He then entered the store and continued shooting, killing three civilians and fatally wounding a responding police officer.
Four victims were killed and two other people were wounded. Roman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before officers could arrest him. Although investigators examined his personal history, electronic devices, online activity and statements made shortly before the attack, authorities did not establish one definitive motive for the violence.
The Beginning of the Shooting Rampage
The first reports of gunfire were received at approximately 11:24 p.m. on March 15, 2020. Emergency callers described a man driving a black 2019 Volkswagen and firing at vehicles and people in eastern Springfield. Roman reportedly traveled north through the city as additional calls were made to emergency dispatchers.
The attacks appeared indiscriminate. Several vehicles were reportedly struck by gunfire, creating a rapidly changing crime scene that extended across multiple streets. Officers attempted to locate the moving gunman while dispatchers continued gathering information from witnesses.
Roman was armed with an SKS semiautomatic rifle chambered for 7.62×39mm ammunition and a 9mm Glock semiautomatic pistol. Investigators later determined that both firearms had been legally acquired.
Attack at the Kum & Go Store
At approximately 11:43 p.m., Roman crashed the Volkswagen outside the Kum & Go convenience store on East Chestnut Expressway. He left the damaged vehicle, entered the business and opened fire on the people inside.
Three people in the store were killed: employee Troy Rapp, contractor Shannon Perkins and customer Matthew Hicks-Morris. Another employee, Jayme Gilson, was shot multiple times and critically wounded. A person inside the business reportedly escaped Roman’s attention by remaining hidden during the attack.
Gilson later recalled that Roman spoke during the shooting about feeling disrespected and wanting others to experience pain. This account suggested that Roman was in an extreme state of emotional or psychological disturbance, although his statements did not provide investigators with a complete explanation for why he selected the store or its occupants.
Shooting of Responding Police Officers
Springfield Police Officers Christopher Walsh and Josiah Overton were among the first officers to arrive at the convenience store. As they approached the scene, Roman fired at them in or near the parking lot.
Officer Walsh was fatally wounded. Officer Overton was struck twice. One bullet was stopped by his protective vest, while another struck his shoulder and knocked him to the ground. Despite his injuries, Overton survived.
Additional officers entered the area and found Roman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The entire sequence, from the earliest reported shots to the discovery of Roman’s body, unfolded in approximately 20 minutes.
Victims Killed on March 15, 2020
- Christopher Ryan Walsh, 32 — A Springfield Police Department officer who was shot while responding to the Kum & Go at 2885 East Chestnut Expressway in Springfield, Missouri. Walsh was an Army veteran and had served with the police department since 2016.
- Troy Rapp, 57 — A Kum & Go employee who was killed inside the convenience store on East Chestnut Expressway.
- Shannon Perkins, 46 — A waste-management contractor who was working at the Kum & Go when Roman entered and opened fire.
- Matthew Hicks-Morris, 22 — A customer who was inside the Kum & Go during the shooting.
People Wounded
- Jayme Gilson — A Kum & Go employee who was shot five times inside the store. He was initially listed in critical condition but survived and was later reported to be in stable condition.
- Officer Josiah Overton — A Springfield police officer who was shot twice while responding to the attack. His body armor stopped one projectile, while another wounded his shoulder. He survived his injuries.
Investigation of Roman’s Apartment
On March 16, 2020, investigators served a search warrant at Roman’s Springfield apartment. Because officers were concerned that the residence might contain traps or additional dangers, a tactical team used an armored vehicle while entering the property.
Investigators recovered ammunition, firearm magazines and accessories connected to the SKS rifle and Glock pistol used during the shootings. Authorities also seized an iPad, a computer, paperwork and a counterfeit Social Security card. Roman’s electronic devices and online activity became important parts of the effort to determine his state of mind and whether the attack had been planned in advance.
Roman’s Background and Behavior
Joaquin S. Roman was born in 1988 and had moved from California to Missouri in 2019. Before the mass shooting, his known contacts with law enforcement were reportedly limited to several traffic citations. There was no publicly identified history of serious violent crime that clearly predicted the attack.
Roman’s mother told investigators that she had spoken with him shortly before the shootings. According to reports concerning the investigation, Roman made disturbing statements about being “infiltrated.” His mother was sufficiently concerned about his mental condition that she was preparing to travel from another state to see him.
Investigators also learned that Roman had conducted internet searches relating to mental illness and tactical shooting. These searches, his statements to his mother and his behavior inside the convenience store suggested that he had been experiencing severe psychological instability. However, authorities did not announce a formal diagnosis or determine that mental illness alone explained the attack.
Extremist Online Activity
A later United States Secret Service study of public mass attacks reported that Roman had expressed neo-Nazi and anti-government beliefs through social media. He reportedly created or participated in online groups related to those views and became involved in disputes with administrators who did not tolerate extremist content.
The report indicated that Roman and another online user discussed broadcasting a campaign of harassment against people or groups they believed opposed them. Despite this extremist activity, investigators did not establish that Roman selected the Kum & Go victims because of their race, religion, occupation or political beliefs. No evidence released publicly demonstrated that any of the four people killed had a prior relationship with Roman.
Unresolved Motive
Several possible contributing factors emerged during the investigation. Roman appeared to feel mistreated or disrespected, displayed signs of psychological distress and had participated in extremist online communities. He also possessed firearms and had searched for information about tactical shooting.
Nevertheless, no single motive fully accounted for his decision to fire at random vehicles, attack strangers inside a convenience store and shoot responding police officers. The victims appeared to have been selected because they happened to cross Roman’s path or were present at the store when he arrived.
Community Impact
The shooting deeply affected Springfield and the families of those killed. Officer Christopher Walsh’s death was mourned by fellow officers, military veterans and members of the community. Troy Rapp, Shannon Perkins and Matthew Hicks-Morris were remembered by relatives, friends and coworkers whose lives were abruptly changed by the attack.
Kum & Go established a relief fund to assist the victims and their families. The tragedy occurred as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to disrupt public gatherings in the United States, complicating traditional funerals, memorials and community mourning.
Conclusion
Joaquin Roman’s March 15, 2020 rampage lasted only minutes but left four innocent people dead and two others wounded. What began as gunfire directed from a moving vehicle ended in a concentrated attack on a convenience store and the responding police officers.
The investigation uncovered evidence of psychological deterioration, feelings of persecution and extremist online behavior, but it did not produce a definitive motive. The lasting focus of the case remains on Christopher Walsh, Troy Rapp, Shannon Perkins and Matthew Hicks-Morris, along with the survivors whose lives were permanently affected by the violence.
