Loretto Academy students visited Notre Dame as terrorist attack unfolded

14 Loretto Academy students and six adults were in Paris during the attack outside the Notre Dame Cathedral, Sister Mary E. Boesen told ABC-7.

The group arrived in Paris Tuesday and decided to visit Notre Dame. On their way back to their hotel, the group heard what appeared to be gunfire.

Hundreds of people were reportedly in the cathedral at the time and many tourists ran away as the attack unfolded.

Paris police arrived immediately and no one in the Loretto group was hurt.

Police shot the man who attacked an officer with a hammer outside the cathedral. The BBC reported the man shouted “this is for Syria” during the attack and French prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation.

The officer suffered minor injuries and the suspect was wounded in the chest by police gunfire.

The Loretto group will be leaving for Spain later this week and is expected to return home by the 17th.