Governor Suren Khachatryan of Armenia’s Syunik Region temporarily resigned from office and issued a respective statement.  

“I regret that I was not able to and could not prevent the tragic incident that occurred nearby my house. Now, the objective examination will give the answer to all questions. Each and everyone, including Armenian citizen Suren Khachatryan, should be accountable in accordance with his conduct.

“I have decided to renounce my powers as governor until the investigation is completed, and I received the [respective] permission from [my] superior authority. From this moment I no longer perform the duties of the Governor of Syunik,” Suren Khachatryan’s statement reads. 

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, shots were fired nearby Khachatryan’s home, on Sunday at around 12:10am, as a result of which one person was killed and two others sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to Goris city 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 Khachatryan.

A criminal case is launched on charges of murder and illegal carrying, possession, and use of arms and ammunition, and an investigation is underway.

Subsequently, the wounded were transferred to capital city Yerevan. Artak Budaghyan is in stable but very critical condition while Nikolay Abrahamyan is in stable but critical condition.

Some people are arrested in connection with this incident. One of them is the Syunik Regional Governor’s son, Tigran Khachatryan, 19, and another is the governor’s bodyguard, Zarzand Nikoghosyan.