Stabbing in Mesa injures two; suspect detained after incident near East Valley apartment complex

Mesa police responded Sept. 17 to a stabbing at an apartment complex near Dobson and Broadway roads in Mesa’s East Valley that injured a woman and her two teenage daughters, officials said. The suspect, identified as Lowell Dorn, entered the apartment and attacked the 16-year-old first before she fled and called for help, according to police, who later detained Dorn in connection with the incident.

Three people were stabbed during the attack, which took place early Wednesday morning, Sept. 17, 2025, at an apartment complex near Dobson and Broadway roads in Mesa’s East Valley, according to Mesa Police Department officials. The victims included a woman and her two daughters, ages 16 and 18, who were all transported to a hospital for treatment and are expected to survive, sources confirmed.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced on Oct. 2, 2025, that Dorn was indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges related to the stabbing.

Police said the suspect, later identified as 22- or 23-year-old Lowell Dorn, gained entry to the apartment and initially attacked the 16-year-old daughter. The teenager managed to flee the scene and call for help, prompting police to respond to the stabbing. Mesa police did not immediately locate Dorn at the scene but later detained him in connection with the incident, according to law enforcement statements.

These charges include two counts of attempted first-degree murder, burglary, and aggravated assault. Court records show Dorn is being held on a $2 million cash-only bond, with a trial date set for Jan. 27, 2026.

Investigators continue to work through evidence and leads tied to the case, Mesa police said in follow-up statements. The apartment complex where the attack occurred is located in a residential area of the East Valley portion of the Phoenix metropolitan region.

Local news outlets, including FOX 10 Phoenix and ABC15, have reported on the incident, consistently verifying the number of victims and the identity of the suspect. While some initial coverage summarized the incident as involving two injured people, the fuller account confirms three stabbing victims.

The Mesa Police Department remains the primary source for information regarding the investigation, while the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office provides updates on the legal proceedings against Dorn. Authorities have not released additional details about the motive or circumstances leading up to the attack.