Opposition Mayor of Parakar Village Shot and Killed in Armenia, Masked Gunman Still at Large

Armenia has been shaken by another deadly shooting, this time claiming the life of an opposition mayor and raising new concerns about rising violence in the country.

On the night of September 23, just before midnight, shots were fired on the Yerevanyan Highway in the Metsavan settlement of Armavir province. According to the Interior Ministry, a masked gunman opened fire on three men standing by the roadside. Among them was Volodya Grigoryan, the opposition mayor of the Parakar community, who was killed instantly. His close friend, Karen Abrahamyan, an off-duty criminal police officer, was also fatally shot. The third victim, Artsrun Galstyan, was wounded and taken to a hospital. Doctors say his life is not in danger after surgery.

The attacker, who wore a mask and gloves, fled the scene. Police confirmed on Wednesday that no arrests had been made and the suspect had not yet been identified. A criminal case has been launched, and investigators say all possible motives are being studied. They are also looking at whether this attack may be linked to another deadly incident in Metsavan earlier this year.

In February, a shootout took place outside the home of Mher Akhtoyan, then the village head of Metsavan and a member of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party. That clash left one person dead, and nine people were later charged.

This latest attack is the second deadly shooting in Metsavan in less than a year, deepening concerns about law and order in Armenia’s rural areas.

Grigoryan, 44, was affiliated with the opposition Aprelu Yerkir (Country of Living) party. In March, he led the Unity alliance to victory in snap community elections in Parakar, winning over 57% of the vote. His victory ended Civil Contract’s hold on the area.

The ruling party had conceded defeat at the time, but the elections had already been marked by tension. Civil Contract’s top candidate was Lyudvig Gyulnazaryan, who had resigned in November 2024 after being linked to a violent dispute in Yerevan that left one person dead. Despite this, the government reappointed him as acting mayor in January, before the snap elections were held.

Prime Minister Pashinyan strongly condemned the killings and demanded that law enforcement authorities act quickly. He said they must also analyze “what preventive actions should have been taken to prevent a series of violent acts” in Parakar and why those steps were not carried out.

The opposition, however, is blaming the government and the police. Mane Tandilyan, leader of the Country of Living party, said Grigoryan’s death was a result of “police inaction.” While she did not directly accuse the authorities of political motives, her statement reflected the growing frustration over security failures. Another opposition figure, Mesrop Arakelyan, said he hoped the crime would be solved quickly, adding that there had been no visible tension in the community in recent days.

Gun-related crimes in Armenia have been increasing during Pashinyan’s more than seven years in power. Police registered 109 cases of armed robberies, shootouts, and other firearm crimes in 2024, up from 94 in 2023. That year also saw a 40% surge in violent incidents compared with 2022.

Pashinyan himself admitted last year that gun violence had become a “very big problem” and ordered law enforcement to do more to tackle it. Despite this, the numbers have continued to climb, and critics argue that his administration has failed to keep citizens safe.

The killing of Volodya Grigoryan has left the Parakar community in shock and fueled public debate over political violence, policing, and accountability in Armenia. For many, this latest tragedy is not just about one attack but about a growing sense of insecurity across the country.

As the investigation continues, residents of Metsavan and Parakar are waiting for answers—both about who carried out the shooting and about why so many acts of violence have been left unchecked.

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