Two defendants who were arrested in connection to a shooting that left a man injured and several vehicles damaged last week each received six-figure bond amounts during first appearance hearings Monday in 35th Judicial District Court.
Cash or corporate surety bonds of $500,000 and $300,000, respectively, were set for Ricky J. Campbell, 20, and Sheldon Mitchell, 17, of Camden, on multiple felony charges, including for first-degree attempted murder, terroristic act, aggravated assault, possession of firearms by certain persons, engaging in violent criminal group activity, felony with a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, fleeing on foot and first-degree criminal mischief.
Mitchell, who graduated from Camden Fairview High School last month, is being adjudicated as an adult in the case. He was previously charged as an adult in an unrelated, felony case in Ouachita County.
A second 17-year-old boy has also been arrested for his alleged role in the shooting.
Lt. Jarod Primm, of the El Dorado Police Department Criminal Investigative Division, said the boy does not have a criminal history and his case has been bound over to the Union County Juvenile Probation Office.
The boys each face an additional count of a minor in possession of a handgun.
Demontrae Norman, 18, was shot twice in a hail of gunfire during which at least 60 rounds were let off on June 2 at The Vineyards of El Dorado, 550 Beverly Drive.
Norman was transported by ambulance to Medical Center of South Arkansas.
Police said Norman was in stable condition when he was later transferred to a medical facility in Texarkana for further treatment.
Primm said investigators have briefly spoken with Norman since June 2, adding Tuesday that he did not have an update on Norman's condition or if he was still in the Texarkana medical facility.
Officers responded at 12:30 p.m. June 2 to a report of multiple shots fired at The Vineyards, an apartment complex, and that someone had been injured.
Capt. Scott Harwell, also of the EPD CID, said Norman ran into his apartment after he had been struck by bullets and called for help.
By the time officers arrived, Campbell and the 17-year-olds had fled the scene on foot, leading police on a nearly four-mile chase, mostly through wooded areas.
Harwell said the trio ran through the woods behind El Dorado High School and headed toward Lanxess on Haynesville Highway/Arkansas 15.
Police said Mitchell and the other boy were apprehended near a high line on the east side of the highway and Campbell was taken into custody near Lanxess.
The Union County Sheriff's Office assisted the EPD.
Police reported seeing the juveniles throw guns, a pistol and an AK-47 rifle, to the ground as they ran.
Officers recovered the guns, along with 60 spent shell casings from the scene of the shooting.
Harwell noted that the shell casings came from three guns, each of a different caliber.
None of the casings were fired from the AK-47, which, officers determined, had malfunctioned, Harwell said. He added that officers did not recover a third gun.
Seven vehicles in the parking lot of The Vineyards were were struck by bullets, police said.
Primm said the investigation is ongoing and detectives are working to establish a motive and connection between the four males.
During his first appearance hearing in district court, Campbell was determined to be indigent and will be assigned a public defender.
Mitchell told the court that he plans to hire his own attorney.
If they are released from police custody on bond, Campbell and Mitchell each must abide by a daily curfew of 7 p.m. until 7 a.m.
Campbell remained in the Union County jail late Tuesday afternoon and Mitchell in a juvenile detention facility outside El Dorado.