Local officials, first responders and residents gathered in City Hall Friday to remember the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001, just days before the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
In a somber ceremony inside city council chambers, Mayor Bill Euille, Sheriff Dana Lawhorne, fire Chief Adam Thiel and police Chief Earl Cook urged residents to remember the losses of that day and reiterated the dedication of first responders no matter how grim the circumstances.

“These events have affected us deeply,” Cook said. “However, they have not dimmed our optimism or our strength as a community… It is our hope to never see such a tragedy again.”