A few days ago one more armed attack took place between the Prosperous Armenia and Republican parties.
Law-enforcement authorities promptly launched a criminal investigation into the shootout that broke out on a street intersection in the city center on Sunday evening. Prosecutors said two groups of “unknown individuals” exchanged fire in still uncertain circumstances. “All necessary measures are being taken to clarify the circumstances of the incident and identify individuals who committed the crime,” the spokeswoman for the Prosecutor-General’s Office said. According to unconfirmed reports, they were led by Ghukasyan’s son, Spartak, and Rustam Sargsyan, the son of a local businessman and a local leader of the pro-presidential Prosperous Armenia Party. Later on Sunday, police found an expensive SUV, which is known to have been used by Spartak Ghukasyan, and was apparently involved in the high-profile incident. The black Hummer was riddled with bullet holes. The car is formally owned by a certain Artyom Ghukasyan, but police would not specify whether the man is related to the mayor. She also said that an innocent passerby, as well as a 28-year-old man, was wounded in the shootout. The man, identified as Norayr Aloyan, underwent surgery in a local hospital and remained in intensive care there on Monday. Members of the Ghukasyan clan could be seen waiting outside the hospital on Sunday night, suggesting that he might be connected to them. There were rumors that Sargsyan was also injured in the gunfight. However, the hospital administration insisted that he was not treated there. The two families have business interests in Gyumri but have no history of commercial disputes. Spartak Ghukasyan, whose father heads the regional branch of Prime Minister Serge Sarkisyan’s Republican Party (RPA), is said to have quarreled with Sargsyan in a Gyumri restaurant earlier this week, allegedly blasting the latter for his family’s ties with the rival Prosperous Armenia. Ghukasyan is no stranger to controversy, having been repeatedly implicated in violent incidents periodically reported from Gyumri. A newspaper last year accused him of bullying and beating a well-known critic of his equally controversial father. The latter has earned notoriety for his flamboyant behavior, which has occasionally turned violent. Less than two months ago Mayor Ghukasyan survived an apparent attempt on his life when unknown gunmen opened fire on his motorcade, killing three of his bodyguards. Ghukasyan is still recovering from a serious wound sustained in the attack. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the brazen shooting so far. The latest incident only added to a widespread sense of insecurity among residents of Gyumri. One middle-aged woman was at the scene of the gunfight when it broke out but was too scared to divulge any details. “I have a son and don’t want to get him in trouble,” she explained. “Law is not enforced here,” said another, a male resident. “I’m now scared of going out.” “If they earned a living like ordinary people do, there would never be such shootings. They’ve got everything and, unlike us, have time to shoot each other,” he added with sarcasm. According to preliminary information, a few days ago Spartak Ghukasyan and Rustam Sargsyan had a conflict that could have been for both personal and political reasons. Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan heads the Shirak Regional Department of the Republican Party of Armenia, while Rustam Sargsyan’s father is in the head of the regional office of the pro-governmental Prosperous Armenia party. There is information that Rustam Sargsyan was also wounded. However, this information has not been officially confirmed so far. To recap, there was an attempt on Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukassyan’s life on April 2. As a result of the incident, several people were killed and wounded, including the mayor. The crime has not been exposed so far. It is noteworthy that Ghukassyan is a member of RPA Council. After the parliamentary election in Armenia, RPA gained 64 and Prosperous Armenia 24 mandates.
P.S. Yesterday evening several people were injured as a result of the May 20 shooting in Teryan Street, Gyumri. According to official sources, two passers-by were injured. Sona Truzyan, the Press Secretary of the RA Prosecutor General, states that Hamaspyur Mnatsakanyan (born in 1933), a resident of Gyumri, and Norayr Aloyan (born in 1979) were injured. On May 20, Aloyan underwent susrgery at Gyulbenkyan Surgery, Gyumri. Doctors state his condition is not grave. Follow-up investigations found 2 bullets and 28 cartridge-cases on the site. On the same day, at 8:30 p.m., a damaged black “Hummer H-2” was found. The car belongs to Artyom Ghukasyan, a relative of Vardan Ghukasyan, the Gyumri Mayor. De facto, the owner of the car is Spartak Ghukasyan, Vardan Ghukasyan’s son. A case was brought in the Shirak Prosecutor’s Office. Vardan Ghukasyan, the son of the Gyumri Mayor, was at loggerheads with one of the sons of Artashes Sargsyan, the former head of the Provincial Urban Development Department and the head of the “Prosperous Armenia” regional office. Investigators found 5 bullets and 28 cartridge-cases on the site. On the same day, at 8:30 p.m., a damaged black “Hummer H-2” 44 SS 440 was found at Avtokayan 104/118. The Shirak Regional Prosecutor’s Office has initiated a criminal case. The cars disappeared from the place of the incident. A Hummer was found in the area of the city bus station at 10:30pm without plate numbers and damaged with bullets, the source reports. Shirak Regional Prosecutor’s Office has initiated a criminal case based on the 6th clause of Article 34-104 and 1st part of 235 article.