School Reopens 4 Days After Father Takes Teacher Hostage

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — Almost a week after a student's father took a teacher hostage in a classroom for nearly 7 hours before being shot by police, classes will resume at Castle View Elementary School in Riverside.

Students at the school at 6201 Shaker Drive were greeted Monday morning with a teddy bear and a T-shirt. The school was closed last week after Tuesday's ordeal.

Police say Luvelle Kennon, 27, who has a daughter in first grade at the school, was fatally shot by a SWAT team after holding first-grade teacher Linda Montgomery hostage for nearly seven hours.

Before the standoff, witnesses told police that Kennon became agitated after refusing to sign in at the school administrative office and punched a male staff member. He went into a classroom, where he held Montgomery hostage.

After hours of negotiations and trying to urge Kennon to surrender, and being unaware of what Montgomery's status, police decided to go in to the classroom.

Police have not said what the motive behind the standoff was, or why they had to open fire on Kennon.