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Documentary Humanizes School Shooting Victims Through Their Rooms

12/5/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Steve Hartman, a CBS News correspondent, documented bedrooms of U.S. school shooting victims for Netflix's All the Empty Rooms, released December 1, 2025.
Hartman began the project after feeling numb to frequent school shootings, which reached 70 incidents in 2025.
Over seven years, Hartman and Bopp visited eight families and captured details of their children's rooms.
The film aims to humanize victims and evoke empathy about gun violence.

History

Historical Context

The 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, which resulted in 17 deaths, intensified the national discourse on gun control. In 2018 alone, over 300 school shootings occurred, underscoring a growing crisis. The incident spurred student activism, leading to movements like Never Again MSD, advocating for legislative reforms to combat gun violence and enhance school safety.

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Story summary

Steve Hartman, a CBS News correspondent, documented bedrooms of U.S. school shooting victims for Netflix's All the Empty Rooms, released December 1, 2025.
Hartman began the project after feeling numb to frequent school shootings, which reached 70 incidents in 2025.
Over seven years, Hartman and Bopp visited eight families and captured details of their children's rooms.
The film aims to humanize victims and evoke empathy about gun violence.

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