RANGELEY PLANTATION – One individual was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Rangeley Plantation on Wednesday, September 13, according to a media statement released Thursday morning by the Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss.
Moss reported that on Wednesday, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Shay McKenna, 28, for a violation of bail conditions. McKenna was observed carrying a firearm which he was prohibited from possessing.
The investigation led detectives to a location in Rangeley Plantation where McKenna was staying and a search warrant was drafted for that location.
The Maine State Police Tactical Team was activated to assist with the apprehension of McKenna, and the Maine State Police Crisis Negotiation Team communicated with McKenna and advised him that he was under arrest, Moss reported.
McKenna reportedly exited the van he was hiding inside of, with a ballistic vest and a rifle. This resulted in Maine State Trooper Jeffery Parks confronting and shooting McKenna.
McKenna died at the scene, Moss said.
Trooper Parks has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard practice in officer-involved shootings. The Attorney General’s Office investigates officer-involved shootings and use of deadly force incidents in Maine.
A review of the digital archives of the Attorney General’s Office indicates there have been two other officer involved use of deadly force incidents investigated in Franklin County in the last twenty years, with one individual killed. Both incidents were considered justified by the Attorney General’s Office, in that the officers involved acted reasonably in self defense or defense of another person. By state law, for a use of deadly force to be considered justified, two requirements must be met: the officer must reasonably believe that unlawful deadly force is an imminent threat against the officer or another person, and the officer must reasonably believe that deadly force is necessary to defend the officer or another person. An investigation can take as much as two years to complete.
Additional information will be provided when available.
