‘You Shot the Wrong Guy’: College Lacrosse Player Sues Oregon Police After Being Shot Five Times During Hostage Escape

A college lacrosse player who was allegedly held hostage by his own brother is suing police in Oregon after officers shot him at least five times as he tried to escape the family home.

Maverick Lyon, 21, filed a federal lawsuit on November 2, 2026, against the City of Albany, two police officers and other officials over the January 6 śh́óóting. The complaint accuses officers of excessive force, battery and negligence, arguing that they failed to recognize he was the victim of a hostage situation rather than the armed suspect.

The terrifying ordeal began at the family’s home in North Albany, where Maverick was visiting during his college winter break. His older brother, John “Dakota” Lyon, 27, allegedly suffered a drug-related relapse and became convinced that their father and younger brother were conspiring against him.

According to the lawsuit, Dakota grabbed a large kitchen knife and held Maverick at knifepoint. Their father, who was away from the house, reportedly became aware of the danger after checking footage from the family’s home security system. The video allegedly showed Dakota threatening Maverick, prompting their father to call 911.

When officers arrived, they surrounded the property and issued commands to the people inside. The lawsuit claims they had information identifying Dakota as the person holding Maverick hostage, but failed to properly distinguish the two brothers.

Maverick allegedly tried to signal for help through a window. At one point, he was able to make his way toward an exit while still holding a separate knife that he had obtained during the confrontation for protection.

The complaint says he dropped the knife as he came through the doorway and moved outside with his hands extended. But officers opened fire, striking him at least five times in the chest, back and face.

Video from the scene captured the chaos as officers repeatedly shouted commands. After being hit, Maverick reportedly called out: “You guys shot the wrong guy.”

He also told officers that his brother had been holding him hostage, according to reports describing the footage and lawsuit.

The lawsuit further alleges that one officer continued firing after Maverick had fallen to the ground. It argues that the officers failed to recognize that he was attempting to escape and was not the person posing the threat.

The injuries were devastating. Maverick was rushed to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery lasting several hours. According to the complaint and reports from his attorneys, he spent approximately four weeks in hospital and required multiple operations, including the removal of part of his right lung, his spleen and appendix. Surgeons also performed extensive reconstructive work on his small intestine.

The śh́óóting disrupted his final year at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, where he played lacrosse. He reportedly missed the spring semester and the final season of his college athletic career while recovering from his injuries.

However, the legal battle now centers on a sharply different account of what officers believed was happening when they opened fire.

In March 2026, Benton County District Attorney Ryan S. Joslin announced that an independent investigation had found the officers’ use of diᩚadℓy force legally justified. The district attorney said officers saw a man holding a knife quickly coming through the doorway and had only fractions of a second to decide how to respond.

The official review also acknowledged that Maverick was the hostage and that he had been trying to escape his brother. The district attorney described the outcome as an “absolute tᩚraɢedy,” while concluding that the officers reasonably believed they needed to protect themselves or fellow officers.

Maverick’s lawsuit challenges that conclusion and seeks accountability for the śh́óóting. The allegations have not yet been tested in court, and the filing of the case does not establish that the officers are legally responsible.

Dakota Lyon, meanwhile, has faced criminal consequences for the hostage incident. He pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, unlawful use of a w𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔬η and coercion, and was sentenced to 77 months in prison in June 2026.

For Maverick and his family, the lawsuit represents another difficult chapter in an ordeal that began inside their own home. The young athlete survived his brother’s alleged attack, only to suffer life-changing injuries during the police response.

Now, a federal court will be asked to examine whether the officers’ split-second decisions were justified — or whether a man trying to escape a hostage situation was mistakenly treated as the threat.