YEREVAN. – Colonel Artak Budaghyan who was wounded in a shootout near the house of former Syunik governor was transferred to the ward from intensive care department.

Head of the hospital Aram Asaturyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that Budaghyan will stay in hospital for another 15-20 days. His ward is being guarded by policemen.

As informed earlier, shots were fired nearby Syunik governor Suren Khachatryan’s home in Goris city, on June 2 at around 12:10am, as a result of which one person was killed and two others sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to Goris hospital. The person who died was Avo Budaghyan, the former Goris mayoral candidate. The wounded are Budaghyan’s brother Artak, and Nikolay Abrahamyan, a relative and bodyguard of Khachatryan. Subsequently, the wounded were transferred to capital city Yerevan.

A criminal case is launched on charges of murder and illegal carrying, possession, and use of arms and ammunition, and the Military Prosecutor’s Office is conducting the investigation.

Two people are arrested in connection with this incident. One of them is the Syunik regional governor’s son, Tigran Khachatryan, 19, and the other is the governor’s bodyguard, Zarzand Nikoghosyan.   

Pursuant to his petition, Suren Khachatryan was relieved of his duties as Governor of Syunik Region.