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[h1]** UPDATE: It looks as though the hostage situation is over, as thesuspect has been arrested! **
[/h1][h1]
[/h1][h1]Two Clinton Campaign Hostages Released[/h1][h2]Witnesses Say Man Has Bomb-Like Device Strapped To Chest[/h2]
POSTED: 1:14 pm EST November 30, 2007
UPDATED: 4:25 pm EST November 30, 2007
[img]http://www.wmur.com/sh/storytools/storytools_print.gif[/img][img]http://www.wmur.com/sh/storytools/storytools_email.gif[/img]
ROCHESTER, N.H. -- Two hostages have been released from the Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, police said, but it was unclear if therewere any more inside.[table][tr][td]LIVE VIDEO: Watch Coverage | Slideshow: '08 Campaign Trail[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
[/td] [/tr][/table]
An armed man took hostages at the office on 28 North Main St. Friday afternoon, and officials with the campaign said that there were two workers taken hostagein the office, but police have not confirmed that those were the only two hostages in the building.
The two hostages were released at about 3 p.m.ABC News reported that the hostage-taker was an older male who was well-known locally and has a history of mentalillness who told his son today to "watch the new.
"The hostage-taker's name has not been released, but a witness who spoke with the man's stepson said that he asked family members where he couldpurchase road flares. Some officials speculated that the man may have the flares strapped to his body.
A friend of the family said that the man thought that there was a government conspiracy and that government officials were "coming afterhim."Clinton, who is not in New Hampshire, canceled a National Democratic Committee meeting in Virginia.A woman and her baby told workers at a neighboringbusiness that she was released by the hostage-taker.
"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. Aman has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'" witness Lettie Tziziksaid.Witnesses described the man as in his 40s with salt-and-pepper hair.
There are several police officers in the area with guns drawn."I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road wasblocked off. They told me run and keep going," said Cassandra Hamilton, who works in an office adjacent to the building.Police used a loudspeakerto announce to the hostage-taker that they were going to try to send a phone in so they could talk to him.Nearby businesses were evacuated, and students at theSt. Elizabeth Seton School were moved to the Maple Street School, where they were released to their parents.
Several elementary and middle schools in the areas locked their doors in what officials called a "soft lockdown." Children at the McLelland School,Maple Street School and William Allen School were only being released directly to their parents.
"There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, N.H. office. We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at theirdirection," an official from Clinton's campaign said in statement.
"Police are negotiating with someone in the building," said another witness, who did not want to be identified. "The police are notifying allthe business owners on the street to evacuate.
There are fire trucks behind the Hillary Clinton office."Presidential candidate Barack Obama also has an office in Rochester, and it has been evacuated. Staff members inJohn Edwards' office, which is a few buildings away, were alsoevacuated. There were no reports of any injuries. There were no reports of any injuries.
[/h1][h1]
[/h1][h1]Two Clinton Campaign Hostages Released[/h1][h2]Witnesses Say Man Has Bomb-Like Device Strapped To Chest[/h2]
POSTED: 1:14 pm EST November 30, 2007
UPDATED: 4:25 pm EST November 30, 2007
[img]http://www.wmur.com/sh/storytools/storytools_print.gif[/img][img]http://www.wmur.com/sh/storytools/storytools_email.gif[/img]ROCHESTER, N.H. -- Two hostages have been released from the Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, police said, but it was unclear if therewere any more inside.[table][tr][td]LIVE VIDEO: Watch Coverage | Slideshow: '08 Campaign Trail[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
[/td] [/tr][/table]
An armed man took hostages at the office on 28 North Main St. Friday afternoon, and officials with the campaign said that there were two workers taken hostagein the office, but police have not confirmed that those were the only two hostages in the building.
The two hostages were released at about 3 p.m.ABC News reported that the hostage-taker was an older male who was well-known locally and has a history of mentalillness who told his son today to "watch the new.
"The hostage-taker's name has not been released, but a witness who spoke with the man's stepson said that he asked family members where he couldpurchase road flares. Some officials speculated that the man may have the flares strapped to his body.
A friend of the family said that the man thought that there was a government conspiracy and that government officials were "coming afterhim."Clinton, who is not in New Hampshire, canceled a National Democratic Committee meeting in Virginia.A woman and her baby told workers at a neighboringbusiness that she was released by the hostage-taker.
"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. Aman has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'" witness Lettie Tziziksaid.Witnesses described the man as in his 40s with salt-and-pepper hair.
There are several police officers in the area with guns drawn."I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road wasblocked off. They told me run and keep going," said Cassandra Hamilton, who works in an office adjacent to the building.Police used a loudspeakerto announce to the hostage-taker that they were going to try to send a phone in so they could talk to him.Nearby businesses were evacuated, and students at theSt. Elizabeth Seton School were moved to the Maple Street School, where they were released to their parents.
Several elementary and middle schools in the areas locked their doors in what officials called a "soft lockdown." Children at the McLelland School,Maple Street School and William Allen School were only being released directly to their parents.
"There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, N.H. office. We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at theirdirection," an official from Clinton's campaign said in statement.
"Police are negotiating with someone in the building," said another witness, who did not want to be identified. "The police are notifying allthe business owners on the street to evacuate.
There are fire trucks behind the Hillary Clinton office."Presidential candidate Barack Obama also has an office in Rochester, and it has been evacuated. Staff members inJohn Edwards' office, which is a few buildings away, were alsoevacuated. There were no reports of any injuries. There were no reports of any injuries.
