Osama bin Laden, mastermind behind the horrific 9/11 attacks, was shot and killed on May 1, 2011, bringing an end to an era where most of us recognized the face of evil as a bearded man with a turban.

“Osama bin Laden is dead,” announced President Barack Obama that Sunday night in an address to the nation.

Bin Laden was killed in a human raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan in a mansion worth roughly $1 million dollars. Obama assured that no Americans were killed in the mission and that bin Laden had ultimately been shot in the head.

“Justice has been done,” Obama said. Thousands gathered outside the White House to cheer and dance, and some even sang in celebration, “We Are the Champions.”

Obama said U.S. intelligence received a tip that ultimately led them to Pakistan and bin Laden’s whereabouts.

U.S. forces not only killed bin Laden that night, but also one of his adult sons, two of his trusted advisers and an unidentified woman who was being used as a human shield when the attack happened.

Following the news release, Obama personally called former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to tell them the news of bin Laden’s death.

It took nine years and seven months after the worst terrorist attacks to ever hit American soil to finally kill the man who conducted and lead the attacks.

Obama called the achievement of bin Laden’s death a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

“To the families of 9/11,” Obama said, “the U.S. has never forgotten your loss.”

Now that bin Laden is dead, are we really a safer nation? Students give their opinions:

“I think we are definitely more safe now that Osama is gone, but al-Qaida is still very real,” said Alyssa Hodge, junior history major. “What if they retaliate out of anger that we found and killed their leader?”

“I was kind of shocked by how long it took them to finally find Osama,” said Sam Morrow, sophomore pre-nursing major. “I can’t believe it’s almost been an entire decade since the attacks. You would think we should have found him a lot sooner after all the horrible things he caused us.”

“There are other people who were helping out bin Laden; it’s not like just because he’s dead it means the end to terrorism.” said Emily Horwatt, junior pre-accounting major. “I would like to think we’re safe but you never know.”

Horwatt, Hodge and Morrow all said they don’t think anything will happen on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, but Horwatt said she is nervous that al-Qaida might attack in anger that we finally killed bin Laden.

Contact Cassandra Beck at [email protected].