Argument in Armavir Province Ends with Gunfire: Police Witnessed the Incident

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has initiated a criminal case in the Armavir Regional Investigative Department under parts 1 of Article 112, part 1 of Article 235, and part 1 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. According to photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, this case was opened following a report received by the Armavir Police Department from the "Armavir" Medical Center on November 26.

On that day, around 12:20 PM, the police were alerted that a citizen had been brought in with a "open multi-fragmentary fracture of both bones of the left shin, with a bone defect" diagnosis. The head of Armavir Regional Police Aram Hovhannisyan and the head of the Armavir Police Department Armen Khachatryan were dispatched to the hospital.

Police determined that the injured party was 62-year-old Saghatel Vardanyan, a resident of Alashkert village in Armavir Province.

Officers from the Armavir Regional Police Department, along with personnel from the Armavir and Metsamor Police Units, conducted operational-search activities and discovered that on the same day, around 12:00 PM, during an argument in the field section of the road from Arevik village to Alashkert village, 45-year-old Arsen Petrosyan, a resident of Alashkert village, fired from his "AK-74" type 5.45 mm assault rifle, injuring S. Vardanyan’s leg.

Additionally, police found that the supporters of S. Vardanyan, namely 37-year-old Karen Vardanyan, 36-year-old Seth Vardanyan, 60-year-old Smbat Vardanyan, 48-year-old Arthur Vardanyan, and 37-year-old Baghdasar Baghdasaryan had argued with 48-year-old Arthur Harutyunyan, 26-year-old Hakob Sahakyan, 40-year-old Roman Sargsyan, and 34-year-old Yerevan Harutyunyan, who had accompanied A. Petrosyan.

It was also established that the incident was witnessed by a sergeant of the Metsamor Police Unit’s second squad, who reported details about the incident to his superior immediately afterward. He reported that Sedrak Vardanyan, whose full details are being clarified, and Bondo Vardanyan, whose full details are also being clarified, had smashed the windshield and side windows of an Opel vehicle with the license plate 97 LV 977 using batons.

Upon arrival, police discovered two spent cartridges from a 5.45 mm assault rifle, one bullet, broken wood pieces, shattered glass from the vehicle, and traces of blood at the scene. The police and investigative department are undertaking necessary operational-search and investigative actions to locate the participants in the argument and the assault rifle.