Navy sailor shot six times during live streamed Tarzana home invasion
Navy sailor survives shooting during live stream
A Navy sailor was shot six times during a violent home invasion inside a Tarzana house that was livestreamed online.
LOS ANGELES - A Navy sailor was shot six times inside a Tarzana home, and the entire terrifying ordeal was captured live on a friend's online stream.
Matthew Horn was at the home with his friend Aesdr, an online streamer, when the violence erupted in the early morning hours of April 18.
"Matthew, no!" someone can be heard screaming in the stream footage moments before gunshots rang out.
Aesdr says four men barged into the home just before 2 a.m., demanding $2,500 in cash. When negotiations broke down, Horn stepped in.
"I let him know I’m military, hopefully to scare him off, hopefully make him run," Horn told FOX 11. "Nope. He just pulled out a gun and shot me six times: three times in the front, three times in the back. He was trying to kill me."
Horn says he grabbed bear spray and warned the men to leave before the shooting erupted.
"I said, ‘If you don’t leave, I’m gonna spray you,’" he said. "I ran in there because I wanted them out of there."
Aesdr says he tried to negotiate with the intruders before things turned violent.
"I said, ‘I’ll give you half of what you’re asking for,’" he recalled. "They said, ‘No, we want the full amount, or we’ll kill all you guys.’"
The LAPD tells FOX 11 the shooting appears to stem from a business dispute that quickly escalated, a characterization that differs from the account given by Aesdr.
Horn was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. He has since undergone surgery but continues to deal with significant medical problems stemming from the shooting. Photos show the extent of his injuries.
Despite the trauma, Horn says he has no regrets.
"There is a God," he said. "There’s been people shot less than me who haven’t survived, but I did, for a reason. I still have purpose in this life."
Aesdr called Horn’s actions heroic.
"Matthew is my hero," he said. "He’s everyone else’s hero that was in this house."
Authorities have arrested 22-year-old Sean Strong, who is charged with attempted murder. He is being held on $2 million bail.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Matthew cover his medical bills. Those looking to help can click here.