Armenian Soldier Called Parents 3 Times Before He Died. Relatives Rule Out Suicide

A criminal case has been launched in connection with rank-and-file soldier Nerses Karapetyan, who was fatally shot on May 10 while serving at a military unit in Tavush marz (province). This news was conveyed to Epress.am by Senior Officer of the RA Ministry of Defense Investigation Department Mery Sargsyan. 

"The case was launched on grounds of RA Criminal Code Article 365 Section 3 (violation of the rules of combat duty or military service that led to grave consequences). An investigation is underway," she said. 

Relatives of the deceased soldier, in conversation with GALA TV, said that Nerses was a driver in the army. Lately, he was restless — more so when he was on vacation leave. He told his friends that he had problems, while on the last day, minutes before the incident, he repeatedly called his parents to call him back. 

"He spoke with his parents, and of course he was restless — there were problems with petrol. Lately, he spoke constantly about this — that they either want the petrol or the money for the petrol. But he was aware neither of the gasoline nor the gas money. He frequently applied; one week ago too he applied, before his vacation," said Nerses' uncle Zaven Karapetyan. 

He said that Nerses' relatives rule out the possibility of suicide. 

"But till today no one has come, no information has been provided to the parents regarding the incident. Naturally, the parents' situation is dire… people send a child [to the army]… Especially this incident, when a soldier goes to the border, to defend it against the enemy, but he is killed by our bullet. We were told that he was at the combat positions, though in the past he never went to the posts because he was a driver — he drove the soldiers to the border. And on that day he was on duty. A few minutes before the incident he called his parents three times for them to call back," said Zaven Karapetyan. 

Nerses Karapetyan was found with a gunshot wound to the head at around 8:50 am on May 10, at the combat position of a military unit stationed along the northeastern border of Armenia (Tavush region). According to the report by the Ministry of Defense, the soldier died on the way to the hospital in Ijevan. 

Photo credit: GALA TV