Shooting at Restaurant Complex Owned by Former MP: 1 Dead, 8 Injured

In the early hours of today, around 2:10 AM, the police department of Abovyan received a call from several hospitals in Abovyan and Yerevan reporting that multiple citizens had been admitted with gunshot wounds and other injuries, one of whom was dead upon arrival.

According to photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, the operational group of the Kotayk regional police department arrived at the hospitals led by Colonel Aram Hovhannisyan, the head of the department.

Numerous investigators from the Kotayk regional investigation department of the Armenian Investigative Committee also arrived on-site, led by Colonel Mher Vardanyan, the head of the investigation department.

The operational group of the Kotayk police department was also present, headed by the department chief Hovhannes Martirosyan.

The police and investigators have determined that the deceased and the injured were transported from the "Pardez" restaurant complex, owned by former MP Melikset Manukyan, also known as "Shshi Melo," located in the city of Abovyan.

Currently, a large number of investigators are working at the restaurant complex under the direction of M. Vardanyan, head of the regional investigation department, and Ruben Mkrtchyan, head of the Abovyan investigation department.

The photojournalist reports that a considerable number of forensic experts from the police's forensic science department have also arrived at the scene, led by the head of the forensic department.

G. Shamshyan notes that the restaurant's yard and surrounding areas resemble a battlefield. Multiple types of weapons have been used in the incident, including "Makarov" and "TT" pistols. A large number of spent cartridges, bullets, blood-like traces, and iron debris have been discovered in and around the restaurant.