By: E&P Staff An armed man, claiming he had a bomb, took at least two workers hostage Friday at a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign office in New Hampshire, police said.
At about 3:30 PM, police confirmed that two hostages had been released, but the hostage taker remains inside. A state police spokesman at 4:40 told the press that this was still "a hostage investigation," which seemed to suggest that one or more hostages might still be in the building. Cable news had been declaring that all hostages had been released.
The state police spokesman refused to confirm the name of the suspect, who is known to have mental issues and going through a divorce. Much of the media had been reporting that his name was "Troy Sullivan" but at 5:00 they stated, just as certainly, that it is a Leeland Eisenberg of Somersworth, N.H.
The local paper, the Foster's Daily Democrat, has now posted a posted a file photo of Eisenberg, and it was shown on TV. The caption at the newspaper site reads: "Lee Eisenberg of Gonic shows how he found a warning notice left a Rochester police officer in his car during the early morning hours on Tuesday. The notice states the the officer found the vehicle unlocked and that the Rochester Police Department is concerned about the owner possibly becoming a victim of property crime."
His son apparently told police he had been drinking today. Another witness said they think he had bought roadside flares with the intent of faking a bomb and had told someone "watch television."
The man is now described as in his 40s and has reportedly asked to speak to Sen. Clinton.
MSNBC has interviewed Rodney Doherty of the Foster's
Daily Democrat of Dover, N.H. to help assess the situation.
Sharpshooters are poised on nearby rooftops. Local schools have been evacuated. So have Obama and Edwards campaign headquarters nearby.
The Clinton office is on a main street in a row of storefronts.
Sen. Clinton is in Virginia, where she canceled a campaign appearance this afternoon.
The incident happened at about 1 p.m. Friday at 28 Main St. in Rochester.
Witness Lettie Tzizik said that she spoke to a woman shortly after she was released from the office, with an infant, by the hostage-taker.
One report has him with a purported bomb strapped along his waist.
It's not known if the incident is based on a political matter or a domestic dispute.
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