Details are still very sketchy, but Reuters notes stunning developments at Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire headquarters.
An armed man took people hostage at a New Hampshire campaign office for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton Friday, New Hampshire’s WMUR TV reported.
Clinton, who was scheduled to campaign in Virginia on Friday, was not present at the office in Rochester, New Hampshire, according to TV reports.
The number of hostages was unclear, WMUR said. A separate report on MSNBC said a man claiming to have a bomb strapped to him walked into the campaign office.
A local TV station adds that the incident began about an hour ago, and it’s unclear just how many hostages are inside. Surrounding buildings have been locked down.
Sen. Clinton is DC for the DNC’s winter meeting, and was not scheduled to be in New Hampshire today.
I don’t have access to a TV right now, but if readers are watching the news and have updates, please feel free to add reports on developments in the comments section.
Update: The Union Leader is reporting that a woman with a small child was released and went to a nearby worksite for help. “The woman said a man with pepper-and-salt hair in his 40s with what appeared to be a bomb duct-taped to his chest had entered the office and ordered everyone onto the floor.”
An employee of a nearby medical supply company said she was told there had been four volunteers and two full-time campaign workers in the office.
Second Update: More:
“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. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'” witness Lettie Tzizik said.
There are several police officers positioned across the street from the office, crouched down behind cruisers with guns drawn, according to a reported at the scene.
“I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road was blocked off. They told me run and keep going,” said Cassandra Hamilton, who works in an office adjacent to the building.
Nearby businesses have been evacuated, and the St. Elizabeth Seton School has been locked down.
“There are sharp shooters on the roof, and police are negotiating with someone in the building,” said another witness, who did not want to be identified. “The police are notifying all the business owners on the street to evacuate. There are fire trucks behind the Hillary Clinton office.”
Third Update: WMUR is streaming live coverage.
Fourth Update: Staffers in Barack Obama’s and John Edwards’ N.H. campaign headquarters have also been evacuated.