Narek Melkonyan, the 27-year-old grandson of mayor Paruyr Sargsyan of Zartonk village of Armenia’s Armavir Province, fired shots at fellow villagers, on Saturday at around 9am, and at least one person was injured.

Village resident Hamlet Abovyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that they blocked the Yerevan-Gyumri railway.

“Before the shots, the village mayor’s people attacked the house of Vardan Poghosyan, one of our [fellow] demonstrators.” he said. “A brawl broke out between the two sides; Vardan Poghosyan sustained a head injury.”

In Abovyan’s words, Melkonyan had fired toward the feet of the demonstrators, and Seyran Sahakyan, 35, was wounded.

Zartonk mayor Paruyr Sargsyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that, in the morning, the demonstrators had attacked the house of his daughter, Nanush Sargsyan, and his grandson had fired several shots in the air with a hunting rifle, to defend themselves. 

Head of Police Information Department, Ashot Aharonyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that one person was injured due to a shot that was fired from a hunting rifle.

“Several people were taken to the police station,” he added. “Police are trying to maintain order.”

A brawl had taken place Friday between the residents and the secondary school staff of Zartonk village. The village mayor’s daughter, Nanush Sargsyan, is the principal of this school, and, as per the residents, she had cursed at the women of this village.