No Feud Between Deceased Council Member and 17-Year-Old He Argued With

The head of the Tumanyan community in the Lori region does not have clear information about the dispute that arose between council member Edgar Meliksetyan and a 17-year-old resident of Lorut, which ended in tragedy. 24-year-old Edgar Meliksetyan was a member of the council’s "Republic" faction.

According to police reports, on March 20, a conflict occurred between 24-year-old Edgar Meliksetyan and a 17-year-old boy in one of the houses in Lorut village. The teenager informed his father about the argument, and in retaliation, the father inflicted a fatal gunshot wound on Edgar Meliksetyan.

“What happened was shocking for all of us, as there was no feud between them. As far as I know, they even had a familial connection. The shooter is the nephew of the deceased Edgar Meliksetyan’s uncle. We can’t even imagine what could have caused such a tragedy. There are rumors, but I will refrain from saying anything. At least, I can say it couldn’t have been politically motivated; the people here are apolitical,” said Suren Tumanyan, the mayor of Tumanyan, in an interview with NEWS.am.

The community leader had no information regarding witnesses at the scene. Suren Tumanyan noted that Nairi Matevosyan was studying in the final year of school. Both Edgar Meliksetyan and Nairi Matevosyan are from respectable and modest families, according to Tumanyan.

“Both come from good, humble families. They weren’t confrontational people; from what I’ve heard, I’ve heard good things about them and their families,” added the mayor of Tumanyan.

According to the Investigative Committee, as a result of operational-search and operational-investigative measures conducted by police officers, a 42-year-old man suspected of committing the crime was identified and presented to the prosecuting body. He has been arrested on suspicion of killing a fellow villager and has been interrogated, providing a confession.