Herman Ejarque, the co-owner and manager of the nearby Governor’s Inn, said in a telephone interview that a relative of Mr. Eisenberg had come into the inn about 2 o’clock this afternoon after being interviewed by police. The man, whose relationship to the suspect was not clear — he is either the son, step-son or son-in-law — talked with the inn’s front-desk receptionist, Chelsea Coul, telling her he was cold and looking for a cup of coffee but the town had been evacuated and everything was shut down.

The man told Ms. Coul that the suspect’s wife had sought a divorce a few months ago and that he was unemployed and “hasn’t been in the right state of mind” for three months. Ms. Coul said the man told her that the suspect had been drinking for 72 hours and that he needed help and quoted the suspect as saying, “I don’t know what to do with my life.”

He also said he believed the suspect was “harmless.”

The man told Ms. Coul that the suspect had asked him where he could buy roadside flares.

It was not clear what kind of weapons Mr. Eisenberg actually carried into the office.

An area of roughly four-to-five-square blocks was sealed off as heavily armed officers, weapons drawn, took up positions around the office, and armored vehicles were seen moving along local streets as helicopters circled overhead.

Mrs. Clinton has 16 similar field offices across the state. It would be unusual for there to be security since the satellite offices are meant to be inviting and a gathering place for volunteers.

The office in Rochester was typical, resembling a storefront shop, with a blue “Hillary” banner in the window.

As it became evident that the hostage crisis was real, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, made an announcement in a ballroom of the Sheraton Premier Hotel at Tysons Corner, Va., where a forum was taking place. All the major Democratic presidential candidates except Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut were scheduled to address the group.