Now under arrest, Leeland Eisenberg, the distraught man who strapped flares to his chest to appear like a bomb, and held four Hillary Clinton staffers at a campaign office hostage, had been known to be mentally unstable, according to reports.

During the nearly six hour ordeal which began at 1 p.m. today in Rochester, New Hampshire, Eisenberg had demanded to speak with Clinton several times. Eventually, he released the hostages, walked outside of the office and surrendered to a SWAT team.

A law enforcement official confirmed to AP that he had been known around the town to be mentally unstable.

According to CNN, which made the revelation after the surrender, Eisenberg had called the news channel several times during the standoff. He said he had been a mental health patient trying to get help but had been unsuccessful and didn't have the thousands of dollars he was told he would need, CNN said.

Earlier this week, divorce papers filed by his wife indicated Isenberg had been arrested and charged with criminal mischief, domestic related, and a violation of a protective order. She cited irreconcilable differences and said he suffered from severe alcohol and drug abuse, several verbal abuse and threats.

He had been arrested at least twice earlier this year, once for alleged driving under the influence. The other was for two counts of stalking.

Hillary Clinton