YEREVAN. – Colonel Artak Budaghyan, who was wounded in a shootout near the house of Armenia’s former Syunik regional governor, was questioned about the incident. 

MOD Investigation Department Senior Officer Meri Sargsyan corroborated this information to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

She added that Budaghyan was questioned as a witness. Nikolay Abrahamyan likewise was questioned earlier as a witness. Sargsyan noted that an investigation is underway.     

To note, Abrahamyan was recently discharged from hospital.

As for the health condition of Budaghyan, MOD Central Garrison Military Hospital Director Aram Asaturyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that Budaghyan’s condition is improving and he could even be discharged from hospital on the weekend.    

As Armenian News-NEWS.am 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, 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. 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.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am