9/11 20 years updates: Tribute in Light shines at end of anniversary

The anniversary was marked by several events across the country.

ByIvan Pereira and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: September 11, 2021, 8:20 AM EDT

Saturday marks 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Hijackers crashed two commercial airliners into the World Trade Center, striking the north tower at 8:46 a.m. followed by the south tower at 9:03 a.m. At 9:37 a.m., a third hijacked airline crashed into the Pentagon.

Twenty-two minutes later, the World Trade Center's south tower collapsed. A fourth hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 10:03 a.m. after passengers fought with and overcame the hijackers.

At 10:28 a.m. the World trade Center's north tower collapsed.

In total, 2,977 people were killed, including many New York City first responders.

A US Flag adorns a name at the National September 11 Memorial site of the north tower at World Trade Center in New York, Sept. 8, 2021.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

The anniversary will be marked by several events across the country, including the annual commemoration at the World Trade Center Memorial in downtown Manhattan.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news was developing. All times Eastern.
Sep 11, 2021, 8:20 AM EDT

President Biden to attend services at World Trade Center, Shanksville, Pentagon

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend three 9-11 memorial services throughout the day

They will begin at the National September 11th Memorial & Museum in lower Manhattan at 8:30 a.m. and fly out to Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The president and first lady will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial at 12:30 p.m.

They will be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and the second gentleman Doug Emhoff at the Pentagon at 4:30 p.m. where they will take part in the wreath-laying ceremony to honor the lives lost at the location.

President Joe Biden speaks about hope and unity in a video released on social media to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Sept. 10, 2021.
White House

Biden released a video speech on social media Friday evening marking the 20th anniversary.

"As we saw in the days that followed, unity is our greatest strength. It’s what makes us who we are — and we can’t forget that," he tweeted.

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