The Department of Justice has confirmed that an exhibit at the headquarters of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives that memorialized victims of gun violence has been taken down. ( The ATF enforces gun laws.) The online version of the memorial has also been removed. The memorial displayed 120 portraits of people killed by gun violence. The display also included a digital kiosk that shared the biographies of each of the gun violence victims.
Families Speak Out
One of the portraits removed was of Robert Godwin Sr. Godwin was shot to death in 2017 in Cleveland while he was out collecting aluminum cans. In the display, Godwin was pictured smiling as he prepared fish he’d just caught. Brenda Joiner, Godwin’s daughter, says her dad loved to fish and was a loving, humble person.
Joiner added that his spot on the gun violence memorial was special. “It was absolutely an honor and a very proud moment, and I felt like this country was actually taking recognition and taking note of all the lives that are lost to gun violence,” Joiner told NPR.
Faces Of Gun Violence
A spokesperson from the DOJ told NPR that it would be honoring victims in other ways. “The ATF will continue to honor the memory of all victims of violent crime while at the same time preserving the rights of law-abiding Americans.”
The exhibit known as Faces of Gun Violence honored victims of mass shootings, school shootings, and domestic violence, as well as people who committed suicide. It also featured images of police officers killed in the line of duty by gun violence.
The Biden administration’s DOJ dedicated the memorial in April of 2024, and the administration said that a group of 200 new victims would be honored each year. The administration had already chosen the next honorees.
Biden Created Memorial
When the exhibit was opened, former ATF Director Steven Dettelbach said, “The he ‘Faces of Gun Violence’ exhibit is a permanent reminder of what ATF comes to work to do every day — a reminder of why agents risk their lives and why everyone at ATF dedicates their careers to this mission: to honor the fallen and protect the living.”
Kristen Song’s son, Ethan, who was killed in 2018 after he discovered an unsecured gun in his home, was featured in the memorial. After his death, Song helped to get Ethan’s Law passed in Connecticut. Ethan’s Law requires gun owners to ensure that firearms are safely and securely stored.
“Those faces once served as a call to action — reminding ATF employees why their work matters and inspiring them to protect our children. But under this administration, those same images became a mirror the Trump administration couldn’t bear to face — a reminder of all the children this country has failed and all the children they are willing to fail again,” Song said.
Parkland School Shooting
Also featured in the exhibit was Fred Guttenberg’s daughter, Jaime. She was killed at the Parkland School shooting in 2018 along with 17 other people. “I worked with the ATF to honor my daughter Jaime and other victims of the Parkland shooting in the creation of the ‘Faces of Gun Violence’ memorial at headquarters,” Guttenberg said.
He added, “We are here saddened by the reality that her photo has been removed and sits in an ATF trash can, completely disregarded by this heartless administration, who could clearly care less about my child or any child being gunned down in America.”
