Speaking at Pa. service, Laura Bush says Americans ‘chose to overcome evil’ after 9/11 attacks

Laura Bush: Americans united in remembering 9/11

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — Speaking in western Pennsylvania on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, former first lady Laura Bush says “Americans have no division.”

Bush, first lady Michelle Obama and hundreds of people gathered Saturday at memorial service in Shanksville for the victims of Flight 93, which crashed about 60 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

Bush says that “in the face of terror, Americans chose to overcome evil.”

A moment of silence at the service was broken with relatives reading aloud the names of the 40 passengers and crew who died and a bell tolling for each one.

Flight 93 was en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco on Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers seized control. But passengers fought back and the hijackers responded by crashing the plane.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A moment of silence has been held in western Pennsylvania where hundreds are gathered to remember victims of Flight 93 on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The silence was broken Saturday morning with relatives reading aloud the names of the 40 passengers and crew who died and a bell tolling for each one.

First lady Michelle Obama and former first lady Laura Bush are to speak at a service in Shanksville, Pa., at a temporary memorial near the crash site. The first phase of a permanent memorial is to be completed for the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

Flight 93 was en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco on Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers seized control. But passengers fought back and the hijackers responded by crashing the plane about 60 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.