The family of two teenagers who were shot by police in the summer of 2024 has filed a $17.5 million lawsuit against the South Simcoe Police Service, four of its officers, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
On August 15, 2024, police were called to a residence on Shoreview Drive in Innisfil, located east of Barrie, due to reports of a family dispute. The Special Investigations Unit reported that twin brothers Liam and Dylan Hatton were inside an SUV and refused to exit the vehicle. When the SUV began moving towards them, police fired shots, fatally wounding Liam in the head. The report stated that Dylan then reversed the vehicle and was also hit by gunfire from police. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
In light of the shooting, the Ontario Provincial Police launched a separate investigation into what happened and subsequently charged Dylan Hatton with multiple offenses including assaulting a peace officer with a weapon and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
The SIU’s investigation later cleared four officers from South Simcoe of any wrongdoing during the incident, concluding that “the officers acted with the purpose of defending themselves and their colleagues when they fired their weapons.”
Lawyer Asha James described these events as “devastating” for the family, emphasizing that they are seeking accountability for Liam’s death.
“They called for help during a mental health crisis and instead were forced to experience the worst day of their lives,” James said in a statement. “The civil process presents an opportunity for the family to ensure that police conduct will be put under closer scrutiny.”
Liam and Dylan’s parents expressed that law enforcement treated this situation as if it were a “tactical operation” rather than responding to someone asking for help, which has severely shaken their trust in police.
“We never imagined that calling the police for help would end with them killing Liam and almost killing Dylan,” they stated. “The officers were not interested in listening to us when we told them what we knew about our sons and how best to help them.
“They dehumanized Liam, Dylan, and the rest of our family. This should never have been the result of a call for help.”
James noted that this lawsuit aims to also investigate OPP’s actions since charges against Dylan were dropped on October 5, 2025, after prosecutors determined they wouldn’t be able to prove their case “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
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