2020 Springfield, Missouri shooting
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.[1]
| 2020 Springfield, Missouri shooting | |
|---|---|
| Part of Mass shootings in the United States | |
  Springfield Springfield (Missouri)  Springfield Springfield (the United States) | |
| Location | 2885 East Chestnut Expressway Springfield, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 37.21066°N 93.23709°W |
| Date | March 15, 2020 11:24 – 11:43 p.m. (CST) |
Attack type | Mass shooting, spree shooting, murder–suicide |
| Weapons | |
| Deaths | 5 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 2 |
| Perpetrator | Joaquin Roman |
| Motive | Unknown |
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.[2] The shooter drove northward before crashing his vehicle at a Kum & Go convenience store on West Chestnut Expressway.[3] He entered the store at 11:43 p.m. and opened fire on those inside, killing three and injuring one. 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, while Overton sustained non-life-threatening injuries.[4] After other officers arrived at the scene, they discovered that the shooter had committed suicide.[4]
The victims inside the store were identified as a 57-year-old employee of Kum & Go, a 46-year-old employee of a waste management company, and a 22-year-old customer.[4]
Perpetrator
The shooter was identified as 31-year-old Joaquin S. Roman.[3] Prior to the shooting, he had talked to his mother about being "infiltrated" and had searched online for "mental illness" and "tactical shooting".[5] He had no major criminal record and had moved from California to Missouri several years before the shooting.[6] Both firearms used in the shooting were legally acquired.[6]
Response
Springfield mayor Ken McClure and Police Chief Paul Williams expressed their condolences to those affected by the shooting.[4] Following the shooting, Kum & Go created a relief fund for the families of the victims.[4]
References
- Pane, Lisa Marie (December 29, 2020). "In a year of pain, one silver lining: fewer mass shootings". Associated Press. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- Bridgeman, Megan; Keegan, Harrison (March 16, 2020). "Map: 911 calls and reports show Kum & Go shooter's path through Springfield". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Diaz, Johnny (March 16, 2020). "Shooting at Missouri Gas Station Leaves 5 Dead, Including Police Officer and Attacker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Keegan, Harrison (March 16, 2020). "Springfield police officer among 4 killed by active shooter, chief says". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Keegan, Harrison (June 1, 2020). "Search warrant sheds new light on motive in Springfield Kum & Go shooting". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Keegan, Harrison (April 8, 2020). "Search warrant reveals new information in Springfield Kum & Go shooting". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved March 19, 2022.