Shots Fired Near Khor Virap Monastery

On September 10, gunshots were heard in the Ararat region. At approximately 4:25 PM, the Ararat police department received operational information indicating that an unknown individual had fired several shots from a pistol in the parking lot of the Khor Virap monastery and then fled the scene in a vehicle.

This information was reported by shamshyan.com.

According to photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, the operational group of the Ararat police, led by department chief Vahan Aghasyan and deputy head Ashot Ter-Martirossian, quickly arrived at the scene.

Upon arrival, police discovered three spent cartridges at the scene and began an investigation with detectives from the Ararat police investigation department, headed by senior investigator Vahe Sahakyan. Meanwhile, another group of police under the direction of Aghasyan and Ter-Martirossian sought to determine where the shooter had fled after firing.

Police located the suspect, identified as 28-year-old Hayk Stepanyan, who had left the scene in a Nissan March vehicle with license plate 96 CO 777, in the administrative area of the village of Pkokh Verdi. He was taken into custody by the Ararat police department. A PMR 9mm gas pistol was also discovered in his possession and confiscated by the investigator.

An investigation is being conducted by investigator V. Sahakyan regarding the incident. According to G. Shamshyan's reports, Stepanyan fired the shots while participating in a wedding ceremony, and his relatives, who failed to prevent him from such actions, blamed the police, saying, “He is a boy, he shot, that's why they are taking him to the station.”