POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. -- Kathleen James sat surrounded by family in her brother's Powder Springs home, all of them worried and scared.

"It tears me apart on the inside because they could have killed them," said James.

Her brother, Jerome Jackson, was attacked Thursday by two men claiming to be customers of the wholesale detergent business he runs out of his home. His girlfriend was home alone when the men asked to buy soap, but once they left the house, their story changed.

"She sold him some washing powders, he gave her $40, but in the meantime he called Jerome back and said she gave them the wrong kind," said James.

Jackson agreed to meet the men at his house to make an exchange, that's when they blocked him in the driveway, dragged him into the house, slit open his stomach, pistol whipped and tortured him.

"He got trauma to his head and burns on his back," said James.

Before they left the men cut the phone lines, but they missed an antique-style phone.

"They thought the phone didn't work, because it's old I guess," said James. "But it did work and he called 911."

Police don't think the attack was a random act of violence, and they said they're looking into Jackson's past. James admitted he had trouble with the law, but he cleaned up his act years ago. She said the entire family is just thankful he was able to save himself again.

"The only thing I can say is he's still here with us," said James.

Police are looking for a blue-gray minivan the men were driving during the attack. If you have any information call Cobb County police.