The exhibit, displayed within the ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C., features over 100 photographs of individuals whose lives were cut short by gun violence. Among the victims honored are Dylan Hockley, one of the 20 first graders killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting; Tiffany Enriquez, a police officer slain in Hawaii; and Ethel Lance, a victim of the Charleston church shooting.
Attorney General Merrick Garland, addressing relatives of the victims and survivors at the exhibit’s dedication ceremony, acknowledged the overwhelming nature of the gun violence crisis. However, he emphasized that the Justice Department remains unwavering in its commitment to combating this epidemic.
Garland stated, “In the effort to keep our country safe from gun violence, the Justice Department will never give in and never give up. We know what is at stake.”
The exhibit is not merely a memorial but a catalyst for action. ATF Director Steve Dettelbach urged the attendees to honor the victims not only through remembrance but through concrete steps to prevent future tragedies.
“We also honor the memories not just by thinking of individuals like this, these people, but by taking action,” Dettelbach said. “Action to prevent more faces from being added to this tragic wall.”
The exhibit will remain on display until next year, when it will be replaced by photographs of a new group of gun violence victims. This ongoing cycle serves as a somber reminder of the persistent threat of gun violence and the urgent need for continued efforts to address this crisis.
