YEREVAN. – Russian serviceman, the main suspect in Gyumri murder, claims that he had no intention to cross Armenia-Turkey border, first deputy chief of Armenian policy Hunan Poghosyan told reporters.

Permyakov said he tried to hide in several places before reaching the border area. The suspect failed to reach the border, otherwise he would be neutralized, Poghosyan said.

Police official said the suspect was wearing civilian clothes when detained.

Six members of the Avetisyan family were shot dead and the six-month-old baby was wounded in their house in Gyumri on Monday. Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the city’s Russian 102nd Military Base, is the main suspect in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended near the Armenian-Turkish border, in the vicinity of Armenia’s Bayandur village.