Oklahoma governor and state leaders react to Osama bin Laden's death

Fallin said Monday that bin Laden's death should help bring closure to those who lost relatives and friends in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in Washington, D.C., and New York.

“It certainly will send a signal that we are going to be tough on acts of terror, that we cannot tolerate acts of terror and will also help us to move on as a nation in the healing process,” she said.

Fallin said it's possible terrorist groups might retaliate against America for bin Laden's death. “We all need to be very diligent. “We're still living in a very dangerous world.”

Fallin, elected governor after serving four years in Congress where she served on the House Armed Services Committee, said she was surprised bin Laden was living in a compound but expected he would be found in Pakistan.

“I hated that it's taken 10 years to locate him, but I am very, very thankful that bin Laden has been located and ... bin Laden's gone,” she said.

Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, a former Secret Service agent and national Joint Terrorism Task Force member, said bin Laden's death shows America's resiliency and perseverance.

“I know we still have a tremendous amount of work to do,” he said. “However, this event gives us reason to once again give thanks to those who have dedicated their time, energy and often their lives in the effort to make those of us back home safer.”