Police have arrested two Benton men who face 18 counts of aggravated assault each.
Benton police responded to two incidents involving shots fired during the first week of July, and their investigation led to the arrests of Jonathon Cox, 24, and Robert Hicks, 47, the department said in a news release.
Benton officers responded to a shots fired call at Ralph Bunche Park on July 4 at 9:53 p.m., the release said, but could not locate any evidence or name any suspects.
On July 6 at 4:30 p.m., detectives were called to the area around Valley Street on a report of criminal mischief, police said. The officers found that someone had fired shots at a home nearby and that the shooting was connected to the July 4 incident.
Cox and Higgs were later arrested, police said, and were both charged with one count of firearm possession. Both were also charged with 18 counts of aggravated assault because that's how many people were near the shootings, police said.
Both of them were on parole. Cox was booked into the Saline County jail on Thursday and is being held in lieu of $150,000 bond. Higgs was processed Friday, and his bail was set at $100,000. Both are set to appear in court Aug. 23.
In the release, Benton police chief Kirk Lane said the department had solved four of the five recent shootings in the area.
Police said the investigation is still ongoing and that the two could face additional charges.