Columbus holding 9/11 remembrance ceremony this morning

There will be a remembrance ceremony for the Sept. 11 attacks this morning at Columbus City Hall. That will start at 8:40 a.m. with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, 18 years ago.

Members of the Columbus Fire and Police Department Color Guard will take part in the ceremony, and brief comments will be made by city officials. The ceremony is expected to last about 30 minutes.

Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak  at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania this morning

Governor Eric Holcomb has directed flags at state facilities across Indiana be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset today in remembrance of the victims of the attacks. He is also asking businesses and residents statewide to lower their flags.

Almost 3,000 people lost their lives when terrorists commandeered four planes on Sept. 11, 2001, flying two into the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon. The passengers on the fourth airliner fought with the hijackers and the plane crashed Shanksville.