Nov. 1 (UPI) -- California authorities are trying to determine what led to a tense standoff Tuesday that saw a parent storm a Los Angeles-area grade school and hold a teacher captive for hours -- before being shot dead by a SWAT team.
The man, identified as Luvelle Kennon, arrived at Riverside Elementary late Tuesday morning and held teacher Linda Montgomery hostage for seven hours.
A SWAT team ended the standoff around 6 p.m. when they overtook the classroom the pair were holed up in.
No students were in the school when the siege escalated.
Montgomery was slightly injured. Another school staff member who initially fought with Kennon was hospitalized.
"I was just scared, I was trembling with fear," a Riverside student told KTLA-TV.
In view of the incident, school officials canceled classes for the rest of the week.
Officials said Kennon, 27, forced his way past the main office and barricaded himself in the classroom with Montgomery. It wasn't immediately clear whether Kennon was armed. Authorities are also unclear on a motive.
Montgomery's family said the teacher was traumatized by the incident.
"I couldn't even imagining this ever happening to her," the teacher's granddaughter said.
Riverside is located 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
