Colorado Remembers: 20th Anniversary Of 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

COLORADO — Twenty years ago, terrorists flew commercial planes into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, and killed nearly 3,000 people.

Saturday marks two decades since the 9/11 attacks changed Americans' lives and ushered in a new era of security in the United States.

“20 years ago, Americans started our day like any other only to find our worlds shattered by mid-morning as the terrorist attacks of 9/11 played out," Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. "We remember and mourn those we lost in New York City, in a field in Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. They were our loved ones and friends, families were instantly torn apart by an unspeakable attack on our nation."

Polis, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, John Elway and Peyton Manning co-hosted Colorado Remembers 9/11 at Empower Field Sept. 1.

"Everyone remembers where they were when tragedy struck, and as we reflect on the 20 years since that dreadful day, let us remember the innocent lives taken away, let us honor the first responders who heroically put themselves in harm’s way to save others, and let us pay tribute to our service members and first responders who fight to protect us from terrorist attack," Polis' statement read.

"Our country is resilient, it is steadfast even in the face of terror. In this solemn moment, let us recognize our humanity in the face of tragedy, and our country’s unyielding will to prevail. On this solemn anniversary, we keep in our hearts the memory of those lost.”

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Commemorative events are set to be held Saturday at Ground Zero, the Flight 93 National Memorial and other sites.

Law enforcement officials are protecting New York City this weekend from what they say is an "elevated threat environment" brought on by the anniversary.

NYPD said Wednesday that although there has been no "specific and credible threat" detected by their intelligence experts, they will pull out all the stops to secure both Ground Zero and other potential hotspots.

Four days before the anniversary, two more victims of the World Trade Center attack in 2001 were identified through ongoing DNA analysis.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 were captured in countless images that were apocalyptic, surreal, violent, ghostly, both monumental and profoundly personal. Wrenching to remember. Impossible to forget.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.