PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A woman accused of making terroristic threats toward Maricopa County animal shelter employees over the phone last summer was arrested this month.
Katie Michelle Dickson, 37, reportedly made 18 separate calls to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) over the span of 40 minutes on June 26, 2024, according to county officials. She is a resident of Vancouver, Washington.
What officials believed to be a bomb threat resulted in an evacuation of the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control building and a search by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Bomb Squad.
In the calls to MCACC, most of which were recorded, Dickson threatened arson, murder and sexual violence against employees.
One of two audio transcripts released by Maricopa County depicts a woman, believed to be Dickson, saying, “You guys put Luna down, I’m coming to burn your [expletive] building down and strangle you to death.”
In the second call, the woman said, “I hope you guys burn in hell. I’m going to tie you all up, set fire to your place,” and threatened sexual violence before the audio cut off.
Investigators found there was no clear mention of a bomb threat in the recordings.
Dickson turned herself in to MCSO earlier this month after a warrant was issued for her arrest.
She has since bonded out of jail and has an initial pretrial conference scheduled for Oct. 21. Her trial is set to begin Jan. 6, 2026.
“The safety of our staff is our top priority, and we take any threats against our team members very seriously,” said Debbie McKnight, director of MCACC. “We are grateful to law enforcement for all their hard work on this investigation. We are committed to providing a safe, respectful space for everyone we serve.”
“This arrest is the result of strong collaboration between our office and our county partners. When someone threatens our community with calls of violence, it is not only disruptive but dangerous,” Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said. “We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior, and we will continue to work to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Arizona’s Family has requested Dickson’s booking photo.
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