Senior warrant officer Gagik Mkrtchyan, who was wounded on July 17, when Sasna Tsrer group seized a police compound in Yerevan, died at hospital after undergoing 4 surgical operations on August 13. Gagik Mktrchyan, 45, joined Police in 1993. He had a 6-year-old son.
Sasna Tsrer group of the Karabakh war veterans seized a police compound earlier last month demanding among others a release of the jailed oppositionist Jirayr Sefilyan and the resignation of the president. During the seizure, one police officer was killed and four were injured. On July 30, another police officer was reported death. Most of the group members were wounded during skirmishes with police within the fortnight of standoff and hostage situation. This sparked mass protests in support of Sasna Tsrer. The Police used special means to disperse the protests. Dozens were wounded, injured and detained, including journalists. On July 31, the group surrendered saying their "mission is over" as what they started grew into a nation- wide movement against the authorities. The National Security Service of Armenia announced the anti-terrorist operation to release the sized police compound completed on July 31.