Attempt to Run Over Police Officers in Yerevan, One Bitten

The Investigation Committee of the Republic of Armenia is conducting investigative and procedural actions to clarify all circumstances surrounding an incident that occurred on Yervand Kocharyan Street in Yerevan, within the framework of a criminal case being examined by the first investigative department of the Center and Norq-Maros administrative districts.

According to preliminary data, on November 7, 2022, around 20:00, a group of young individuals in the yard of one of the buildings on Yervand Kocharyan Street displayed blatant disrespect towards the public, attacking several young people with stones and using abusive language. Upon noticing police officers approaching, the individuals attempted to escape in a Toyota Camry. During their attempt to flee, the vehicle was driven towards the police officers, trying to run them over; however, the car hit a stone on the roadside and came to a stop.

The driver of the aforementioned vehicle, a 33-year-old man, along with a 21-year-old passenger, were immediately arrested and taken to the Central Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, while others fled the scene. At the time of arrest, the 33-year-old attempted to escape and bit the officers' hands while still inside the vehicle, causing them bodily harm.

As a result of ongoing actions, it was established that the participants in this incident had assaulted 4 young individuals. During the altercation, one of them was stabbed with a knife by another participant, while another individual discharged a firearm in an unspecified direction and subsequently damaged a Honda vehicle belonging to one of the young men using stones. The 33-year-old and 21-year-old have been arrested based on reasonable suspicion directly arising from the commission of the crime.

In order to clarify the circumstances of the incident, police officers met a 60-year-old resident of the neighborhood adjacent to Yervand Kocharyan Street and examined the videos available on his mobile phone. However, during this process, the resident approached another member of the neighborhood, a 50-year-old man, who shouted insults in connection with providing the videos to the police. After that, the 60-year-old man smashed his mobile phone on the ground, breaking it, to prevent the police from reviewing the videos.

A criminal case has also been initiated regarding this incident, which has been merged with the aforementioned case to continue the preliminary investigation within the same proceedings. The two mentioned men have also been arrested based on reasonable suspicion directly related to the commission of the crime.

Investigative and procedural actions are ongoing, and necessary measures are being taken to clarify all circumstances of the incident. The preliminary investigation continues.