Details on Gunshots and Explosion in Alek Manukyan Street, Yerevan: Arrests Made

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has communicated the arrest of residents of Alek Manukyan Street in Yerevan, 21-year-old Tigran Tigranyan and 54-year-old Vardan Tigranyan, under the decision of Senior Investigator Roman Tovmasyan from the Central and Norq-Marash administrative district investigative unit. SHAMSHYAN.com reports that criminal proceedings have been initiated against them based on the characteristics of part 4 of article 258 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia for suspected hooliganism that occurred on August 31 in the Central administrative district of Yerevan, which was marked by sounds of explosions and gunfire.

It has been established that on August 31, at approximately 21:50, a dispute took place in the yard of building number 7 on Alek Manukyan Street involving residents of the same street: 23-year-old Hrachya Tigranyan, 21-year-old Tigran Tigranyan, and 54-year-old Vardan Tigranyan, as well as Ashot Sargsyan, a 50-year-old resident of Shar Talyan Street, and 34-year-old Hovhannes Avetisyan and 35-year-old Tigran Avetisyan, residents of Aygestan Street, along with an individual by the name of Davit.

According to preliminary information, it has been revealed that during the altercation, Tigran Avetisyan detonated a homemade explosive device he had on him, resulting in bodily harm to Hovhannes Avetisyan. It was also established that the brawl was accompanied by an overt disrespect towards the public exhibited by the participants, during which sexual slurs were uttered and physical injuries were inflicted upon each other.

Police and investigators discovered blood-like traces, a wooden stick, and two homemade explosives at the scene. Investigators have also determined that Hovhannes Avetisyan was transferred to Hospital No. 1 with a “multiplex fracture of the right thigh.”

Hours later, detectives, collaborating with officers from the Yerevan Police Department, apprehended Tigran Tigranyan, Vardan Tigranyan, S.L. Tigranyan, 42-year-old Arthur Harutyunyan from Aygestan Street, 55-year-old Arthur Hovhannisyan from Sari Tagh, and A. Sargsyan on suspicion of hooliganism. These individuals were released on signature, while Tigran and Vardan Tigranyan were arrested and taken to the detention facility of the Yerevan Police Department.

As previously reported by a photojournalist from the scene, gunshots were fired in Yerevan on August 31. At approximately 21:40, the operational management center of the Yerevan Police Department received a call indicating that shots had been fired near the alley leading from Alek Manukyan Street to Aygestan 3rd Street, with reports of an injured party.