College Student Shot Five Times by Police After Escaping Brother’s Hostage Situation: “You Shot the Wrong Guy”

A 21-year-old college student who escaped from his knife-wielding older brother inside his family’s Oregon home was allegedly shot at least five times by police officers who were supposed to help him. Moments after the shooting, as he lay bleeding on the ground, Maverick Lyon reportedly cried out: “You shot the wrong guy. He was holding me hostage.” Now, Lyon is taking legal action against the city and officers involved, alleging that they mistook the victim for the attacker and used excessive force.

The incident happened on January 6, 2026, at the Lyon family home in North Albany, Oregon. According to a federal lawsuit filed on Maverick’s behalf, his 27-year-old brother, John “Dakota” Lyon, grabbed a large kitchen knife and held him hostage while their parents were away. Their father had contacted authorities after becoming concerned about Dakota’s increasingly erratic behavior. He reportedly told dispatchers that Dakota was shirtless and wearing pajama pants, while Maverick was dressed in a gray, long-sleeved shirt. The father was also watching events unfold through the home’s security cameras.

When Albany police officers arrived, the lawsuit alleges that they could see both brothers through a window but failed to properly distinguish the person holding the knife from the person being threatened. Maverick allegedly tried repeatedly to signal for help by mouthing the words “Help me!” through the glass. Instead, officers instructed him to come outside and drop the knife he was holding for self-defense. The complaint claims that officers had already received descriptions of both brothers’ clothing, which should have helped them identify Maverick as the victim.

Maverick eventually managed to break free and move toward the back door. According to the lawsuit, he opened the door with one hand extended and the other holding a knife he had picked up to protect himself. Surveillance footage allegedly shows him dropping the weapon onto the brick walkway before stepping outside. He then moved toward officers with his hands extended, apparently trying to demonstrate that he was no longer armed. Despite this, officers shouted commands and opened fire, striking him at least five times in the chest, back and face. The complaint further alleges that one officer continued shooting after Maverick had fallen to the ground.

The injuries were devastating. Maverick was rushed to the hospital, where he spent approximately four weeks undergoing multiple operations. Reports say surgeons removed part of his lungs, his appendix and his spleen. The shooting also forced him to miss a semester of his senior year at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire and his final collegiate lacrosse season. His attorneys say he has since returned to playing lacrosse but still faces additional medical procedures to address his injuries. Meanwhile, his older brother pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, unlawful use of a weapon and coercion. In June 2026, Dakota was sentenced to 77 months — six years and five months — in state prison.

The lawsuit names the City of Albany, two police officers, Benton County and a county probation officer, alleging violations involving excessive force and negligence. However, the shooting had already been reviewed by the Benton County District Attorney’s Office, which concluded in March that the officers’ use of deadly force was legally justified. The district attorney said officers had only fractions of a second to make their decisions and could not have known that Maverick had dropped the knife, while also acknowledging the incident was a tragedy. Albany police declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying the department had not yet been formally served. The civil case now seeks to determine responsibility for the shooting and the injuries Maverick suffered — a young man who, according to the complaint, escaped his brother’s grip only to be shot by the officers responding to his family’s call for help.

Source: Law&Crime