July 24--BRIDGEPORT -- A former city firefighter was arrested on Friday morning after telling an employee at Fire Department headquarters that the devil wanted him to kill Fire Chief Brian Rooney and then himself, police said.
Bruce M. Toth, 59, who resigned in 2007 after 11 years of service, had gone to the headquarters on Congress Avenue earlier this month, trying to get his job back, according to the police incident report. He was escorted out of the building on July 1 and told not to return, police said.
On Friday, Toth went to the department's administrative offices and told a woman working there that he had been sent by the devil to kill the chief and then himself, police said. Rooney was not in the building at the time and could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
A loaded handgun was found in Toth's car, said William Kaempffer, Bridgeport's public safety spokesman.
Toth was brought to St. Vincent's Medical Center by police for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation.
Eight other weapons, including one that was not registered, were later found in Toth's home, according to police, who are pursuing a warrant to charge him with carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle and carrying a pistol without a permit.
While in the emergency room, Toth allegedly assaulted a hospital security guard.
He is charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct -- both misdemeanors -- in the first incident, and assault from the hospital incident. Toth was released on his promise to appear on Tuesday in state Superior Court in Bridgeport.
He was hired in 1996 before resigning in 2007. A source said Toth had been given a choice of resigning or being fired in 2007 after an unspecified, job-related incident.
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