Thousands of Washingtonians on Sunday walked over 3 km to Pentagon to mark the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

The event was led by students and faculty at three Washington elementary schools who lost six classmates and teachers on Sept. 11, 2001.

The six were on their way to a field trip when American Airlines Flight 77, traveling from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles, was hijacked and finally smashed into the side of the Pentagon, killing 184 people.

About 400 family members of the victims, including those working at the Pentagon, also joined the walk.

The walk began on the National Mall in downtown Washington D.C. and ended up at the Pentagon crash site in Arlington County, Virginia, on the other side of the Potomac River.

Meanwhile, as a tribute, 184 beams of light were illuminated in the Pentagon courtyard Sunday night to honor each person who died when the jetliner struck.

The beams will stay lit until Monday night.

The event was one of more than 120 walks organized in cities in all 50 U.S. states Sunday to remember the worst terrorist attacks in American history which killed nearly 3,000 people.

Source: Xinhua