The shooting, which occurred on June 18 in a village just outside Aparan, a town 55 kilometers north of Yerevan, left two local residents dead and five others wounded. Law-enforcement authorities said it was sparked a road rage incident that escalated into a violent clash between two groups of young men.
The presumed shooter, a 32-year-old resident of Yerevan, was arrested on June 20. Investigators have made no other arrests so far.
They have denied media reports claiming that the Aparan men were attacked because of publicly swearing at Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
The angry relatives of the shooting victims also denied any political reasons for the deadly dispute as they demonstrated in Aparan on Saturday.
But they confirmed reports that the attackers included close relatives of Edgar Parvanian, a deputy governor of surrounding Aragatsotn province, and Matevos Asatrian, a member of the Armenian parliament representing Pashinian’s Civil Contract party.
The protesters said that both officials based in Aparan must leave the rural community because they are responsible for the fatal shooting.
“The brother of that parliament deputy and two cousins of Edgar Parvanian were present there [at the scene of the shooting,]” said Gevorg Harutiunian, the father of one of the two murdered men.
Parvanian did not deny his relatives’ involvement while insisting that he personally is not to blame for what happened. He said he hopes investigators will ascertain all causes and circumstances of the crime.
The protesting relatives said they fear that the ongoing investigation will be a cover-up because of the local officials linked to Armenia’s political leadership. They demanded that Pashinian meet with them and hear their concerns.
“Six days have passed and those people have still not been arrested,” said Abraham Mikaelian whose 27-year-old nephew Hmayak was also shot dead on June 18. “This gives us reason to suspect that the case is not investigated properly.”
The Investigative Committee did not comment on the course of the probe and the protesters’ demands.
The chief of the police department of Aparan and surrounding villages was sacked three days after the shooting.
Opposition leaders in Yerevan have blamed Pashinian for the shooting, saying that he has encouraged violent reprisals against his detractors. Representatives of the ruling party have rejected the accusations.