MESA, AZ – A mother in Mesa is speaking out after she and her children were brutally attacked in their apartment in what police describe as a random act of violence. Jackie Horn recalls the horrific night that left her family physically and emotionally scarred.
It was around 4 a.m. when Jackie heard a commotion. Her instincts kicked in as she thought of her children. “I knew I had to act,” she said. The intruder had targeted her 16-year-old daughter, Layla, first.
Hearing Layla’s frantic cries for help, Jackie grabbed a hammer and rushed to her daughter’s side. She and her other daughter, Jax, fought off the attacker, giving Layla a chance to escape. But the struggle was far from over.
The attacker, a man unknown to the family, turned his attention to Jackie, stabbing her multiple times. “The rage in his eyes was something I’d never seen,” she recalled. Desperate, Jackie pretended to be dead, a move that likely saved her life. The attacker fled immediately.
The assailant, identified as 22-year-old Lowell Dorn, was later apprehended by police. He reportedly confessed to intending to kill and admitted to battling mental health issues while under the influence of illegal substances. Dorn is currently held on a $2 million bond.
Jackie is recovering from significant injuries, including a brain bleed and an eye injury, while her daughters also bear severe stab wounds. The psychological impact of the attack lingers. “We never imagined something like this would happen to us,” Jackie said.
Despite their ordeal, Jackie’s children have returned to school. The family is now searching for a new place to live, hoping to leave behind the memories of that traumatic night. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with their moving expenses.
The community is rallying around the Horn family, grateful for their resilience and bravery in the face of such terror. As Jackie heals, both physically and emotionally, she remains determined to move forward with her family by her side.