Jaden Blackwell-Frank

Biography

Frank Blackwell is an American activist and the father of Dominic Blackwell, a 14-year-old student who was killed in the 2019 Saugus High School shooting. Following the tragedy, Blackwell became a prominent voice in the movement to regulate "ghost guns" (untraceable, home-assembled firearms), the type of weapon used in the attack that killed his son. In 2026, Blackwell is a primary subject of the critically acclaimed documentary short "All the Empty Rooms", which has been nominated for the 2026 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film. The film, produced by Steve Hartman and directed by Joshua Seftel, documents Blackwell allowing cameras into his son's bedroom, which he and his wife Nancy have left untouched since 2019. The room, filled with SpongeBob SquarePants memorabilia (Dominic's favorite character), serves as the emotional centerpiece of the film's exploration of grief and loss. Beyond the screen, Blackwell has taken his fight to the highest level of the American legal system. In July 2024, he and fellow parent Bryan Muehlberger (whose daughter Gracie was also killed at Saugus) filed a high-profile amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Garland v. VanDerStok. The brief supported federal regulations on ghost gun kits, sharing their personal tragedy to argue for stricter controls. He continues to lead the Dominic Michael Blackwell Foundation, which provides support to the community and advocates for school safety measures.