Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of Parakar opposition Mayor Volodya Grigoryan and off-duty police officer Karen Abrahamyan. Both men were shot dead late Tuesday night by a masked assailant, in an attack that also left another person, Artsun Galstyan, seriously injured and under medical care.
Deputy Police Chief and Head of the Criminal Police Department, Colonel Vardan Vardanyan, said the incident is linked to interpersonal conflicts and stems from an earlier dispute in February. “There is no political element in the case. The overall incident is a consequence of interpersonal relations,” he emphasized, rejecting claims that the killings were politically motivated. “Investigations are ongoing,” he added. Narek Sargsyan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said there is currently no additional information.
Media reports suggest that the suspect is the brother of a man who was shot dead earlier this year in Parakar, who was also a cousin of the town’s former mayor, Mher Akhtoyan.
The attack occurred outside Volodya Grigoryan’s under-construction home, where the gunman, wearing gloves, opened fire on the victims. CCTV footage shows the victims attempting to flee while the assailant fired multiple shots, even checking one victim for signs of life before escaping. The video surveillance cameras containing this footage were seized by law enforcement as part of the investigation.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan condemned the killings on Facebook, calling them a “brazen armed attack” and urging authorities to swiftly identify all responsible individuals. He stressed the need to review preventive measures, writing: “Also, a detailed analysis must be conducted on what preventive measures should have been taken in Parakar to prevent a series of violent incidents, who was responsible for carrying out these measures, and why they were not implemented. Necessary conclusions will be drawn from this investigation.”
Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan, addressing reporters after a Cabinet session, said the state cannot prevent every crime. “To measure effectiveness, we need to wait until results are achieved,” she noted, adding that there are no grounds at this stage to discuss motives or claim that certain officials failed to act. She stressed that citizens have no reason to feel unsafe, as there is no evidence of widespread crime.
The Interior Ministry announced on Thursday the dismissal of the head of the Armavir department of the Criminal Police, Artur Bdoyan, as well as the chief of the Investigative Committee’s provincial division, Hrachya Ghazarian. The sackings came in the wake of Pashinyan’s reaction and call for accountability. A criminal case has been launched at the Vagharshapat city investigative department of the Armavir provincial Investigative Committee.
On September 26, Grigoryan’s funeral took place at the House of Culture and Youth in Parakar. His wake had been held there the previous day, with Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan and numerous politicians attending to pay their respects.
Grigoryan, a member of the opposition “Aprelu Yerkir” party, took over the large rural community west of Yerevan after the opposition Miasnutyun (Unity) alliance led by him defeated the ruling Civil Contract in a tense local election held in March 2025. The ruling party conceded defeat and congratulated its rival. Merdzavan had already been rocked by a deadly shootout in February outside the home of Mher Akhtoyan, then the village administration chief affiliated with Civil Contract, which left one person dead and another injured.
Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the “Aprelu Yerkir” party, said that Grigoryan had no personal enemies and dedicated his time to community issues and meeting residents. “Volodya had no personal adversaries. He was occupied day and night with community issues and meeting with residents,” Arakelyan said.
Mane Tandilyan, leader of the “Aprelu Yerkir” party, described the murder as a planned act, criticizing law enforcement inaction that allowed individuals with illegal weapons to operate freely.
Armavir Governor Vahram Khachatryan also addressed the incident, assuring that the killings were not politically ordered. He emphasized that the truth will be revealed and those responsible will be punished. Khachatryan added that Volodya Grigoryan had been one of his close friends and that he personally visited the family to offer condolences and support.
Following Grigoryan’s death, the Parakar municipal council, where the “Aprelu Yerkir” party holds a majority, is legally required to elect a new mayor from among its members.
