Hooliganism Involving Multiple Individuals and Violence Against Police in Kotayk Region: Six Arrested

On July 19, 2024, reports were received about a group of individuals who met on a road from Mayakovsky village to Dzoraghbyur in the Kotayk region around 8:10 PM on July 18, 2024, possibly armed, to clarify certain issues.

To investigate the reported circumstances, an operational group of the Police went to the specified location, where they discovered a large gathering of individuals who were arguing loudly and swearing while under the influence of alcohol.

Police officers, presenting themselves in accordance with the law, issued a legal requirement against exhibiting anti-social and immoral behavior. However, the individuals not only refused to comply with their legal request but also began to verbally insult and physically attack police officers, hitting and pulling at them.

As a result, the police, based on reasonable suspicion of a crime having been committed, attempted to arrest them; however, they continued to assault and resist police officers. One individual who struck the police tried to flee in a "VAZ 2121" vehicle. When a police officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver accelerated, dragging the officer along.

Due to the blows inflicted by the participants of the dispute, police officers sustained bodily injuries, with two being hospitalized. Six individuals who inflicted violence against police officers were taken from the scene to the police station. Based on the direct reasonable suspicion of committing a crime, these six individuals were arrested.

It was revealed that besides these individuals, others also dealt blows to police officers during the altercation. The Kotayk Regional Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia initiated a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 335, Item 1 of Part 2 of Article 297, and Part 3 of Article 452 of the RA Criminal Code. The investigative actions were entrusted to an investigative group.

During the preliminary investigation, a scene examination was conducted, during which wooden bats, knives, and blood-like traces were discovered and collected for samples. Several individuals were interrogated, and the sobriety of the arrested individuals was checked. Expert examinations have been appointed to clarify essential circumstances regarding the criminal case.

The investigation is ongoing. Measures are being taken to clarify the circumstances of the incident, identify other individuals involved, present them to the conducting authority, and provide an adequate legal assessment. Instructions have been issued to the relevant department of the police.