Complex sentence: After about 2½ hours, he released the hostages and was taken into custody by Oroville police, and the students were taken to a church across from the school, where they were picked up by their parents.
Split into simpler sentences: After about 2½ hours, he released the hostages and was taken into custody by Oroville police. The other students were taken to a church across from the school, where they were picked up by their parents.