Marshalltown Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting of a 39-year-man last night around 7 o’clock at an apartment in the downtown area. Marshalltown Police Caption, Brian Battersen, says the suspects were wanted in the shooting of Benjamin Benda.

Battersen says two of the three suspects fled to Osceola and officers arrested them around 6 a.m. and they were charged with first-degree robbery, and booked into the Osceola County Jail. The two suspects arrested in Osceola were 27-year-old Steven Etzen and 23-year-old Shawn Doehler.

Two material witnesses were taken into custody, 28-year-old T.J. Vaughn and 44-year-old Melissa Andrews, both of Marshalltown. Batterson says a third witness is being sought. Battersen says they are still sorting out all the details of the shooting.

“We know there was a dispute before the shooting, we are still tracking down all the details of why the dispute took place. Obviously the two suspects were taken into custody for robbery first, we do believe they went there with the intent to steal something from the victim,” Batterson says.

Benda was shot in the head and was taken to University Hospitals in Iowa City, where he is reported in critical condition.

By Lance Renaud, KFJB, Marshalltown