16-Year-Old Accused of Killing Police Officer to Be Transferred to Psychiatric Institution

A comprehensive psychiatric-expertise assessment has been ordered for the 16-year-old boy accused of killing a police officer. The defendant's lawyer, Sedrak Mkrtchyan, informed "Factinfo" that his client will be transferred to a psychiatric facility on November 8. Mkrtchyan emphasized that the conclusion of the psychiatric examination is critical for the further course of the investigation, as it will clarify whether the minor is legally capable or not.

“A lot depends on the conclusion regarding his mental state at the time. It may turn out that he was under a physiological or pathological effect,” said Mkrtchyan, noting that the validity of testimonies also hinges on the conclusion.

It is recalled that on the night of October 16, police officer Tigran Arakelyan, 38, was shot while performing his duties in the Arabkir division of the police. Preliminary investigations indicate that around 4:30 AM, officers from the Arabkir protection division of the State Protection Service noticed two individuals near the entrance of Victory Park. Upon seeing the patrol vehicle, the two fled. Police pursued them and arrested them on Freedom Boulevard. The arrested individuals resisted, during which one of them seized a service pistol from one of the officers and fired it, resulting in the death of police officer Tigran Arakelyan.

A criminal case has been initiated in accordance with Articles 238, 316, and 104 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. The identities of the individuals who allegedly committed the crime have been established; they are brothers born in 2003 and 2001. According to the official statement from the Investigative Committee, prior to the murder, the brothers had committed theft at a beauty salon. Furthermore, it turns out that during the day, the younger brother was engaged in panhandling while at night he was involved in theft with his older brother.

Moreover, the younger brother has a history of being abused by their mother and suffers from intellectual developmental issues. According to Colonel Nelli Duryan from the police, based on appropriate conclusions, he was placed in a psychiatric facility, from which he previously attempted to escape.

When asked what treatment was prescribed for the boy, what medications he was taking, and whether he used any drugs on the day of the incident, the lawyer was unable to provide answers, stating he had no such information. Regarding whether the minor accepts the charges against him, Sedrak Mkrtchyan stated that the young man has been charged under four different articles and admits to the charges, but claims he did not intend to kill the officer. “He says, I did not want to kill him. I thought he should’ve been scared so he wouldn’t chase us,” Mkrtchyan recounted the boy's statement. The defense attorney also stressed that the youth regrets the act.

The lawyer mentioned that for the brothers, pre-trial detention has been selected as a measure of restraint, and the issue of assigning a stationary psychiatric assessment for the younger brother is also under consideration for his placement in a psychiatric hospital.

Previously, an official from the Information and Public Relations Department of the Investigative Committee had mentioned in an interview with "Factinfo" that the youths are considered legally capable, and no psychiatric examination had been ordered.