MCSO: Man attacked employees and stabbed cows

GILA BEND, Ariz. - Police say a man armed with a knife showed up at a dairy farm threatening employees and attacking cows. It's not clear what set this person off, but according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, the suspect admitted to using alcohol and methamphetamines before threatening his co-workers and livestock at a the dairy farm where he worked.

On October 4th, 28-year-old Mario Garcia-Leon's co-workers told sheriff's deputies they feared for their lives. Officals say Garcia-Leon showed up at the Citrus Valley Dairy Farm armed with a knife, threatened employees and attacked cows.

According to court documents, Garcia-Leon had an 8-inch knife. He's accused of stabbing at least four cows to death. Five other cows were injured so badly that they could no longer produce milk.

When confronted by co-workers, the suspect, who still had the large knife, allegedly began swinging his arm from side to side.

At first, Garcia-Leon refused to comply with deputies at the scene. He barricaded himself inside a break room at the farm. The MCSO SWAT team eventually convinced him to come out and surrender. The knife was recovered from the scene.

Garcia-Leon was arrested and booked into the 4th Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix on felony criminal damage, destroying livestock, animal cruelty and aggravated assault charges. His bond has been set at $35,000.

Citrus Valley Dairy officials place the loss to the business at over $22,000.