An unknown, armed man went into presidential-hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton‘s campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire, on Friday afternoon (November 30), with what appeared to be a bomb strapped to his chest, according to CNN. Two campaign workers are reportedly being held hostage inside Clinton‘s office, and police snipers and cruisers have surrounded the premises in an attempt to negotiate with the man, who is described as in his 40s. Clinton is currently in the Washington, D.C., area.
“We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction,” Clinton said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. “We will release additional details as appropriate.”
CNN reports that police were called to the office at about 1 p.m. and surrounded the offices by 2 p.m. A woman and her baby were said to have been released by the hostage-taker, and one witness, Lettie Tzizik, told the news outlet she had spoken with the woman soon after she was released and fled for cover in a nearby store.
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“A young woman with a 6-month- or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, ‘You need to call 911,‘ ” Tzizik said. “‘A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape.’ ”
Clinton, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, was set to deliver a speech at 3 p.m. during a Democratic National Committee event. She canceled that appearance because of the hostage situation.
“Unfortunately as some of you know, there is a hostage situation in New Hampshire involving a Clinton campaign staff person,” DNC Chairman Howard Dean told those who were in attendance for the event. “The details are sketchy at this time, but understandably Senator Clinton is now dealing with this very difficult problem and she is not going to be able to join us today. And we will keep them in our prayers and hope for a resolution to this situation in New Hampshire.”
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According to CNN, the nearby campaign office of Senator Barack Obama, another Democrat seeking his party’s nomination, was locked down as a precautionary measure. The offices of former senator and Democratic candidate John Edwards were also closed.
UPDATE: Three people held hostage at Senator Hillary Clinton‘s campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire, have been freed without harm, according to CNN affiliate WMUR.
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The hostage taker walked into the office at about 1 p.m. EST, Major Michael Hambrook of the New Hampshire State Police told CNN affiliate WMUR-TV. Hambrook and Clinton campaign officials said two people were believed to be inside at the time. Shortly before 2 p.m., police officers, secret service, and the S.W.A.T Team were gathered across the street from the office, strategically placing themselves around the building, some kneeling behind police cruisers with guns drawn.
Bill Shaheen, chairman of Clinton‘s New Hampshire campaign, told WMUR that two of the people being held were volunteers, the other was the infant child of one of the volunteers.
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“Hopefully, they’re going to negotiate this so no one gets hurt,” Shaheen said.
Nearby office buildings and schools have been locked down or evacuated as a precautionary measure.
UPDATE: At least one more person, a woman, is said to still be inside of Clinton‘s campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire with a man claiming to have an explosive devise.
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Authorities are tight lipped about details of the case presumably because the perpetrator most likely has access to a television inside of the campaign office. Therefore, any information released to the public is also released to the hostage-taker.
CNN is also confirming they have identified the hostage-taker as Leeland Eisenburg, a local New Hampshire man in his 40s. Unconfirmed reports have said Eisenburg has a history of mental illness, has had former run-ins with police, and is currently facing divorce and financial hardships. He allegedly told his stepson to “watch the news today”.
Final Update: The standoff has ended with a man police say walked into Sen. Hillary Clinton‘s campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire, and took several people hostage.
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The man, Leeland Eisenberg, claimed to have a bomb strapped to his chest, police said. After the hostage situation, Clinton, who was in Washington, released a statement saying “I am very grateful that this difficult day has ended so well.”
On Friday afternoon, one of the hostages contacted the CNN Washington bureau and then put Eisenberg on the phone.
The hostage and Eisenberg called CNN multiple times throughout the afternoon and talked to CNN staffers. He surrendered to police just moments ago.
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Eisenberg said he had mental problems and couldn’t get anyone to help him. CNN chose not to report Eisenberg’s calls to avoid compromising the safety of the hostages.
There has been no word as to if the bomb was real or a hoax.
