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On the night of July 17, at around 5:30, Varuzhan Avetisyan, press secretary of the “New Armenia” movement posted a message on Facebook, entitled “Daredevils of Sassoun Group: We have started an armed uprising, join us”.

The statement read: “We have seized one of the main police regiments of Yerevan as well as several stations. At present, we control Yerevan’s Erebouni district and areas adjacent to it. Unites of armed forces have joined us. The uprising is spreading throughout the country”.

As it was revealed later, the message was posted after a group of armed people broke into RA Yerevan’s patrol police regiment in Erebouni district, took several police officers as hostages. Afterwards the group captured high-ranking police officials who visited the regiment – Deputy chief of Police Vardan Eghiazaryan and Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Valery Osipyan among them.
After a while, Panorama.am camera recorded how law enforcement bodies accumulated forces in the area adjacent to the seized station, cordoning off the scene and evacuating the residents, living in the vicinity of the patrol police regiment.

The only information source for the situation in the police HQ was the Facebook page of one of the members of the group, Varuzhan Avetisyan. He said that they demand to set free Jirair Sefilian, an opposition figure arrested and accused for illegal procurement of weapons with intention for organizing a criminal group to stage armed uprising in the state. He also mentioned that the group members include freedom fighters Pavlik Manukyan, Arayik Khandoyan and Mkhitar Avetisyan, a number of young men.

On July 17 Armenian National Security Service (NSS) released an official clarification over the occurred situation.

The released statement, particularly, read: “A group of armed people broke into RA Patrol Police Regiment and is holding hostages with threats of violence. At the same time, their supporters constantly spread disinformation through media outlets and on social media about the beginning of the armed uprising and the seizure of several buildings.” NSS ensured that the state authorities are operating normally and negotiations are carried out for the gunmen to surrender. In the meantime, the law-enforcement bodies warned that “any illegal activity will be suppressed and the perpetrators will be held responsible according to the law”.

After the statement, Varuzhan Avetisyan and other members of the group stated that they’re waiting for their demands to be fulfilled and are ready to fight to the last bullet. Avetisyan also informed that two members of the group were wounded.

NSS reported  that one police officer had been killed, other two wounded in the course operation undertaken by police special forces. Two hostages had been reported to have been released. According to the statement, the group members identified themselves as supporters of Jirair Sefilian.

Deputy Chief of Armenian Police Hunan Poghosyan told reporters at a briefing that the police and all other law-enforcement bodies have been calling on the gunmen to surrender and avoid criminal actions, otherwise we are ready to incapacitate them and free hostages kept inside a seized police station. To his words, police forces possess necessary means and have been taking up necessary preventive and operative investigatory measures to resolve the standoff, after hours the group of armed people stormed Yerevan’s patrol police regiment in Erebouni district of the Armenian capital. Poghosyan confirmed that Police Colonel Aram Hovhannisyan died and two other officers, Hrach Khosteghyan and Gagik Mkrtchyan were wounded.

A number of politicians and public figures condemned the current situation noting that applying weapons and using force won’t solve any political problem.

Prosperous Armenia (BHK) leader, Naira Zohrabyan said that “no political issue can be resolved by taking hostages”.

First Ombudsman, Larisa Alaverdyan thinks that this is an ineffective way for solving anything. “I am sorry about the victim. All issues in Armenia should be resolved by other means”.

Armen Martirosyan from Heritage (Zharangutyun) party said that for avoiding bloodshed everything should be done for the negotiations to succeed.

Opposition politician, Andrias Ghukasyan stated that the “the rebels won’t surrender and will fight to the last bullet”. He called to organize a rally near the police HQ demanding to resolve this crisis only through negotiations.

Member of Parliament, Tevan Poghosyan labelled the events “unlawful” and noted that whatever the outcome, it will certainly affect the country’s future. He urged the sides “not to fear negotiations”.

In the afternoon of July 17, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a meeting with the representatives of the law enforcement bodies at the Presidential Palace, press department of the President’s Office reported. According to the released statement , participants of the meeting briefed the President on the situation after the armed incident occurred in the capital this morning and the details of the measures undertaken by law enforcement bodies. It was stressed that law enforcement bodies fully control the situation and are taking up all necessary measures to resolve the situation, reads the statement.

NSS later released a statement  that as of 17:00 p.m. the armed group continues holding several police officers as hostages, insisting on their previous demands. In the statement, the gunmen who seized a police station in Yerevan on Sunday are labelled as ‘terrorists’. “In the scope of negotiations underway representatives of competent state bodies are trying to persuade the terrorists to avoid further actions threatening the life and the health of the people, to free the hostages, lay down their weapons and surrender to the authorities without resistance”. The statement goes on reading that special task forces remain in combat readiness, yet no command for active actions has been given.