Robbinsdale students were in Holocaust Museum during shooting

A group of students and chaperones from the Robbinsdale School District was in the Holocaust Museum when Wednesday's fatal shooting took place.

District spokesman Jeff Dehler says 39 students and four chaperones were on the museum's second floor when the shooting started on the first floor.

"The students, they were completely safe. They didn't see anything, and the security had them move immediately out of the building," Dehler said. "They were loaded onto their tour bus and moved onto their next destination. It was about the time they were scheduled to leave anyway."

Dehler says the students were from Sandburg and Plymouth Middle Schools.

"As a chaperone, you're hoping that nothing bad ever happens on a trip like this. And certainly it's a tragedy that someone has lost their life in this incident. But we're just very fortunate that our students were able to not be anywhere near the danger and be able to get out of the building very safely."

Another group from a Twin Cities metro school was in Washington at the time, as well. Forty-five students from the Elk River Middle School magnet program were at Union Station when the shooting happened, according to Casey Mahon, spokesman for Elk River Schools.

The group was scheduled to go to the Holocaust Museum later on Wednesday but canceled those plans.

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