Families preserve children's bedrooms as memorials to school shootings

Families of children killed in American school shootings are preserving their children's bedrooms as personal memorials. These rooms, left exactly as they were at the time of the tragedies, serve as tangible reminders of the lives lost.

In Minneapolis, the parents of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, who was killed during a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in August 2025, maintain his room filled with his favorite items, including Legos and buffalo memorabilia. Similarly, in Nashville, the parents of 9-year-old Hallie Scruggs, a victim of the 2023 Covenant School shooting, keep her room as a space that “holds the space for her.”

Photographer Lou Bopp and correspondent Steve Hartman have spent years documenting these “empty rooms” to provide a glimpse into the personal lives of the victims and the lasting impact of school violence on families.