To honor the roughly 3,000 individuals who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, first responders, and area officials and residents gathered Tuesday morning.
Elkins Mayor Van Broughton led the more than 30 individuals gathered around the Elkins City Hall flag pole in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, participating in a moment of silence, and listening to the National Anthem and a rendition of “God Bless America.”
“On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States,” Broughton said. “Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 were killed in the 9-11 terrorist attacks, which triggered U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush.”
Broughton added that when tragedies such as 9-11 take place, the nation is lucky to have first responders willing to put American residents above themselves.