Frustrated Maine man tosses bed bugs on city employee – USA TODAY

@teddyhomernews tweeted this photo of a man tossing bed bugs on an Augusta, Maine, city counter.(Photo: USA TODAY screenshot)

A Maine man frustrated because he didn't qualify for government assistancethrew a cup of live bed bugs at a city employee.

The incident caused an Augusta, Maine, office building to abruptly close over the weekend so pest control professionals could rid the building of a possible infection.

Augusta, Maine, Code Enforcement Officer Rob Overton said the incident occurred after theman, who was never identified by the city, became angry after he was booted from his rental building and didn't qualify for public assistance.

The man first contacted thecityon May 28, when hecomplained about hisrentalroom's bed buginfestation. Overton said the city told himthe bedbugs were his landlord's responsibility.

On Friday, the mancameintothe city office holding a cup of bed bugs.

By that time, he had movedout of theinfestedrentalroom and was livingsomewhere else. He arrived at the officeto make sure the city did something to eradicatethe bugs from his oldroom, whichOvertoncalled, "commendable."

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The man's former landlordtold thecity they wereremoving the bugs. However, Overton said the city contacted the man's new building manager to make sureshe wasawarethe man may be introducing bed bugs to that building.

The man left the building, only to returnhourslater saying hewas being kicked out ofhis apartment and feared he would be homeless. The citytried tofindhimassistance throughitsHealth and WelfareDepartment, but the man didn't qualify.

That's when he tossedthe bugs on the counterand onto the employee. Thelive bugs startedcrawlingaway. Overton said he escorted the man outside and called the police.

The building wastreatedandopened back uptoemployees onMonday. Anotherinspection is scheduledfor nextweek. Overton said he was not aware of any issues with the employee.

The man has not been charged with a crime, Overton said. The Augusta Police Department did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the incident.

"I've certainlyseen bed bugsbefore," Overton said, "butI've never seen them used in this manner."

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Frustrated Maine man tosses bed bugs on city employee - USA TODAY