Removal of Gun Violence Victims Exhibit at ATF Headquarters

Article by Kristin Wright.

During a visit on April 23, 2024, Attorney General Merrick Garland viewed an exhibit titled 'Faces of Gun Violence', guided by Steve Dettelbach, head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, at the organization's main office in Washington, D.C. This display has since been removed.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the Department of Justice, has confirmed the removal of an exhibition that featured portraits of 120 gun violence victims.

Included in the exhibit were a digital platform with biographical details of each person and an online version, both now inaccessible.

The ATF, responsible for federal gun law enforcement and firearms industry regulation, is a part of the Department of Justice.

Robert Lee Godwin Sr., included in those portraits, was tragically lost to gun violence in Cleveland, 2017, while gathering aluminum cans.

The portrait showed Godwin joyfully preparing fish he caught for a family gathering. His daughter, Brenda Joiner, fondly remembers him as a passionate fisherman and beloved family member, indicating his inclusion in the initial display was significant.

Godwin Sr. is featured in a photo with his daughter Brenda, part of the ATF headquarters' 'Faces of Gun Violence' exhibit.

Brenda Joiner expressed to NPR her pride over the inclusion, stating the display was a notable acknowledgment of lives lost to gun violence.

A spokesperson from the DOJ conveyed a statement to NPR on Sunday that while the manner of honoring may change, the ATF will continue to remember all victims of violent acts, alongside safeguarding the rights of lawful citizens.

The exhibit paid tribute to victims ranging from mass and school shootings to domestic violence and suicides, and included law enforcement officers killed by gunfire.

Initial reports of the exhibit’s removal circulated recently.

Dedicated this past April by the Justice Department, the exhibit was set to refresh annually, introducing a new set of 200 honorees each year as planned by the Biden administration.

Former Director Dettelbach commented at the exhibit's inception, emphasizing that it serves as a constant reminder of ATF's mission—honoring those lost and safeguarding the living.

Despite plans laid by the Biden administration for a new cohort of honorees, which involved feedback from various organizations, the removal precluded this installment.

Brady's president, Kris Brown, expressed that victims’ families, already struggling, found the exhibit's unceremonious dismantling exceedingly unsettling.

Viewing the removal as politically motivated, Brown suggested it reflects a broader neglect of gun violence realities, predicting a continuation, if not escalation, of various gun violence-related tragedies.

Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was remembered in the display, critiques the administration for neglecting such memorials. Jaime was among those killed during the 2018 Parkland, Florida school shooting.

Fred, working with the ATF on the memorial's creation, lamented the dismissal of his daughter’s memory, portraying it as emblematic of a lack of empathy from the current administration.

NPR's inquiry to the DOJ regarding the current location of these portraits went unanswered.

Brenda Joiner has committed herself to combating gun violence following her father's passing. "Although I can't revive my father, I can channel my efforts into advocating for others—a mission the exhibit represented for me," she stated.