A Day Of Mourning

WHEREAS, on the morning of December 14, a horrific act of violence took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut; and

WHEREAS, this senseless act took the lives of twenty precious children and six teachers and administrators dedicated to helping them start their academic journey; and

WHEREAS, the entire nation grieves for those who were lost, and prays for the family members and loved ones of those affected; and

WHEREAS, the entire nation grieves for those who were lost, and prays for the family members and loved ones of those affected; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has our own painful memories of the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert F. McDonnell, do hereby recognize December 21, 2012 as A DAY OF MOURNING in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens; and

BE IT FURTHER RECOGNIZED, that the Commonwealth of Virginia will observe a moment of silence at 9:30 AM on that day, and that the Bell of the Capitol Bell Tower will ring 26 times, in honor of each of the victims of this tragedy.