PARKERSBURG - The bell in the tower of the Wood County Courthouse will ring 26 times on Friday in honor of the lives lost at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
The memorial bell ringing followed by a moment of silence comes exactly one week after a gunman shot 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called on residents to participate in the moment of silence.
Declaring Friday a day of mourning in his state, he asked that churches and government buildings ring their bells 26 times in honor of each life lost.
On Wednesday, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin asked all West Virginians to observe the moment of silence to honor the memory of those who were killed last week.
"I spoke to Connecticut Gov. Malloy and told him people across our state are praying for the families and friends of those affected by last week's terrible events," Tomblin said. "While we can't begin to understand their pain, we hope they find comfort in the very difficult days ahead. I ask West Virginians to continue to keep the families in your thoughts and prayers and observe a moment of silence on Friday morning at 9:30."
