Two Dead in Gunfire Incident in Gavar, Including 'Noratus Bear' and Military Investigator

On April 28, gunfire was reported in Gavar, resulting in casualties and injuries. It has been revealed that those transported to the Gavar Medical Center with varying degrees of gunshot wounds included Armen Sargsyan (30) from Noratus village, Armen Haytian (39) from Gavar, Vardan Davoyan (37), and residents of Noratus village: Hrachya Hakobyan (28), Artem Petrosyan (18), and Sasun Meloyan (32). Vahé Avetisyan (33) from Noratus and Zohrap Paronikyan (31) from Gavar city were brought to the hospital already deceased.

This information was reported by shamshyan.com. According to the source, while law enforcement and investigators were working at the crime scene, at around 21:30, a call was received at the Gavar police station from the hospital, reporting that a group of individuals had launched an attack on the medical facility, breaking windows and property, and assaulting Armen Haytian and David Haytian (38) from Gavar city who were present there. Criminal cases have been initiated based on the evidence of murder and attempted murder.

On April 28, a murder reminiscent of a war film occurred in the Gegharkunik region. Around 17:30, a call came into the Gavar police station that gunshots had been heard on Freedom Street in Gavar, resulting in 2 fatalities and 2 injuries requiring transportation to Gavar, with another 2 being taken to hospitals in Yerevan by ambulance.

A rapid response team from the Gegharkunik regional police led by Chief Gevorg Hakobyan and Deputy Chief Tigran Petrosyan was dispatched to the scene. Numerous investigators from the Gegharkunik regional investigative department of the Armenian Investigative Committee and forensic experts from the regional police worked at the site. Several citizens who had gathered at the scene refused to speak on camera, stating that one of the deceased was from Noratus, while the other was a military investigator. Police and investigators were working to determine the identities of the deceased and the injured.

Considering the degree of danger posed by the crime, prosecutors from the Gegharkunik regional prosecution office also arrived at the scene. Special services from the 2nd Police Battalion, led by Commander Edgar Suslyan and his junior commander Ara Shahnazaryan, were on enhanced duty in Gavar. The Chief of Police of Armenia, Arman Sargsyan, and the head of the Criminal Police of Armenia, Artak Karapetyan, also arrived at the scene.

Police and investigators discovered vehicles with bullet holes, including a Lada with license plate 91 XX 100 and a Niva with plate number 23 SL 354. A significant number of shell casings were recovered from the scene. Special forces from the police had also arrived in Gavar on the directive of the Chief of Police for enhanced security operations, which included securing the Gavar hospital. Services from the Military Police of Armenia were also on-site.

According to the source, police and investigators were exploring several theories, including a vendetta linked to the murder of Hayk Hakobyan, a resident of Noratus village, years earlier. Hakobyan's father was the deputy governor of Gegharkunik, and their relatives are known figures in the criminal world, namely 'authorities' Alik and Ara Banduryan from Noratus.