Four boys from an Ottawa private school have been suspended after a "shocking" incident that prompted school authorities to call police during a school trip.

Tam Mathews, headmaster of Ashbury College, said all the students involved were boys who went to the boarding and day school, which is co-ed for Grades 9 to 12.

Ashbury College is a private boarding and day school founded in 1891.
(CBC)

"This was a very serious incident. Four boys went into the room of four other boys," he said. "What happened then led us to contact the authorities. So we contacted the police in Boston and Ottawa and are fully cooperating with their investigation."

Neither the Boston nor the Ottawa police would comment to the CBC on the case. But the Ottawa Citizen reported that the sex assault unit of the Boston Police is involved in the investigation.

Matthews said the accused students will not return to the school until an investigation and disciplinary committee meeting is complete.

Headmaster Tam Matthews said the incident involved four boys who went into the room of another four boys.
(CBC)

"This was a shocking situation and certainly something where we wanted to do everything we could to provide the support for the students and for the parents," Mathews said.