40-Person Group Brutally Assaults Restaurant Owner with Shovels and Stones: What is Known About the Ashtarak Shooting Case

According to the "Zhoghovurd" newspaper, it has been revealed what testimonies community leaders have provided at the RA Investigative Committee regarding the scandalous shooting incident at "Ashtarak Gorge." According to the newspaper, the head of the Ujan community, Grigor Harutyunyan, stated in his testimony that a vehicle had broken down near the "Arevik" restaurant at Ashtarak Gorge, and he had called for a freight transportation company to tow the vehicle. He reported hearing noise in the area and seeing the injured deputy mayor, to whom he rendered assistance and transported him in a vehicle.

"He implies in his testimony that he tried to convince the law enforcement officers that he had nothing to do with the fight. Meanwhile, the mayor of Ushi, Martin Martirosyan, flat out claimed that he was not present at the scene, stating that he was participating in a memorial ceremony in Ashtarak at the time of the incident. This suggests that the community leaders are taking a 'gangster' approach, as a classic would say. However, the preliminary investigation body seems not to have believed them, and charges have been pressed while keeping them under house arrest. Up to now, Ashtarak's mayor, Tovmas Shahverdyan, and his injured deputy have not been interrogated, as the latter is still hospitalized," reported the newspaper.

It is recalled that information about the incident became known on October 20. Gunshots were heard from the restaurant complex "Ashtarak Gorge" towards the recreation area known as "Galusti Gorge," resulting in the hospitalization of the injured deputy mayor of Ashtarak.

According to Shamshyan.com, law enforcement has arrested Grigor Harutyunyan, the Ujan community head, 28, Nairi Sahakyan, 54, the director of "Me and Him" LLC, former MP and brother of former Aragatsotn governor Sarkis Sahakyan, Martin Martirosyan, the head of the Ushi community, 45, and others.

"The owner of the 'Ashtarak Gorge' restaurant had been working on the land in question when he was approached by Ashtarak's mayor, Tovmas Shahverdyan, formerly affiliated with the Republican party, and began to argue with them over the land issues. Afterward, police arrived at the scene after receiving operational information about a potential 'fight film' going down. Just as indicated, a group of around 40 individuals arrived and began to brutally beat the restaurant owner with stones and shovels. Not even the presence of police deterred the group members. Seeing this situation, the restaurant owner's son took out an automatic weapon and fired a shot to scare off those present, resulting in injuries to both the Ashtarak deputy mayor and another person. The investigation in the law enforcement system continues, and there are speculations that perhaps Mayor Tovmas Shahverdyan sent this group against the restaurant owner. The judicial system, by studying the preliminary investigation body's request, has understood that the son of the restaurant owner fired in order to save his father from the clutches of the 40-person group," the newspaper stated.