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Kenneth “Carlos” Ortega

Age :

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 02/07/2026

Location : Water Street

City : Skowhegan

County : Somerset

State : Maine

Agency : Skowhegan Police Department

Officer(s) :Benaiah Willhoite

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during investigation

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/07/2026, Skowhegan Police officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at a residence on Water Street and encountered Kenneth Ortega and a woman walking away from the property. Officers ordered Ortega to stop. Ortega fired a gun into the air and pointed it toward officers, and Officer Benaiah Willhoite fired his weapon, striking Ortega. Ortega was transported to a hospital where he died. Authorities placed the officer on administrative leave and the Maine Attorney General’s Office began investigating the shooting.

 

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/officer-involved-shooting-kills-new-york-man-skowhegan-maine-police/97-9d05771b-bdda-4768-b0e8-ae42d88e5555
https://www.centralmaine.com/2026/02/08/man-shot-killed-by-police-in-skowhegan/
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/skowhegan-maine-police-shooting-investigation/3893812/
https://www.wabi.tv/2026/02/08/officer-involved-shooting-skowhegan-under-investigation/