An investigation has been launched by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and local police after hidden cameras were found in a downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, hotel room.
The creepy discovery was made by a group of high school students who were staying at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis hotel on 7th Street while on an overnight field trip with their school's business club. The trip took place over the first weekend of December last year.
Police confirmed that students found multiple cameras in the room but have not disclosed exactly how many devices were involved in the incident.
After East High School DECA students informed the school of the discovery, the Madison school district placed an unidentified staff member who had accompanied the students on the field trip on an administrative leave as a precautionary measure.
DECA is an international organization that aims to educate youngsters about jobs in marketing, finance, and hospitality. The organization runs events and competitions to encourage student interest in the business world.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DoJ) agents and Minneapolis police are investigating the incident, along with previous trips run by East DECA.
In an email sent to students' parents on December 16, interim principal of East High School Brendan Kearney wrote: "We are sorry to have to contact you in this way and can only imagine what you must be feeling.
"We want you to know that East and (the Madison school district) will do whatever we can to protect and support both our current and former students."
Included in Kearney's missive was a message from DoJ agent Jesse Crowe, which confirmed that the agency’s Division of Criminal Investigation was leading an investigation into any events that occurred prior to the business club's December trip, including anything that occurred outside the state.
According to CBSN Minnesota, a search warrant was served on a home in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, on December 12 in connection with the incident, but no arrests were made. Police later asked a judge to seal the contents of the warrant.
Former DECA trip participants have been provided with an email address to which they were invited to submit any relevant information regarding former events and excursions.
The Madison school district intends to carry out its own investigation into the incident after the investigation by law enforcement concludes.