From Connecticut ... to Washington's National Cathedral .... to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange .... Americans stop for a moment of silence Friday morning.

Church bells tolled 26 times - in memory of the 20 children and six adults killed one week ago - in a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In Washington, the most powerful U.S. gun rights lobby made its first public statement since the massacre.

National Rifle Association Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre:

SOUNDBITE: National Rifle Association Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."

SOUNDBITE: National Rifle Association Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre

"I call on Congress today to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation.

LaPierre - who also said the media and violent video games had its share of the blame -- was interrupted twice by protesters.

Connecticut residents - visiting a memorial to the victims - gave this response to more guns in school.

SOUNDBITE: Karlon Cromwell, Memorial visitor

"No. That's only going to affect the kids psychologically."

SOUNDBITE: Lori Mendez, Memorial visitor

"I'm not surprised by it. I wasn't hopeful that it would be a positive statement."

And more gun violence in the U.S. on Friday -- four people die on a rural Pennsylvania highway after a gunman shoots three and is killed in a police shootout.