FILE – South Simcoe Police cruiser
An Innisfil family has filed a $17.5 million lawsuit following a police shooting that involved their two teenage sons nearly two years ago.
The lawsuit targets four officers from the South Simcoe Police Service, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police.
On August 15, 2024, authorities responded to a home on Shoreview Drive in Innisfil after receiving reports of a domestic dispute.
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According to the province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Liam and Dylan Hatton were 19-year-old twin brothers sitting in an SUV when they refused to exit the vehicle. Shots were fired by police as the vehicle moved toward them, resulting in Liam being hit in the head and subsequently dying. The SIU reported that Dylan reversed the vehicle and was also shot; he was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
A different investigation led by the Ontario Provincial Police resulted in charges against Dylan Hatton for multiple offenses including four counts of assaulting an officer with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and dangerous driving.
The SIU’s investigation concluded that “the officers acted with the purpose of defending themselves and their colleagues when they fired their weapons,” clearing South Simcoe officers of any wrongdoing.
Bill Hatton and Robin Jackson, parents of Liam and Dylan stated in a release: “Our family has been forever shattered. We never imagined that calling the police for help would end with them killing Liam and almost killing Dylan. 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.”
Lawyer Asha James described these events as “devastating” for the Hatton family.
“They called for help during a mental health crisis and instead were forced to experience the worst day of their lives,” James noted.
She mentioned that pursuing civil action gives this family an opportunity for increased scrutiny over police conduct.
“They treated the situation like a tactical operation rather than a call for assistance,” said Liam and Dylan’s parents. “They dehumanized Liam, Dylan, and our whole family. This should never have been what happened when seeking help.”
James expressed concern over how OPP handled things too.
“The decision to lay charges against Dylan-who was merely a victim-raises serious questions about how this situation was managed and could further erode public trust in law enforcement agencies.”
Charges against Dylan were dropped in October 2025 after prosecutors stated they couldn’t prove their case “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
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