News

The Moscow Directorate of the Investigative Committee continues investigating a criminal case against 55-year-old Aram Petrosyan. He was charged with a crime under Part 2, items “d” and “g” of Article 206 of the RF Penal Code (taking two or more hostages using an object as a weapon). The investigators have also established that he was also involved in a crime under Part 1 of Article 205 of the RF Penal Code (threat to make a blast to destabilize the operations of the authorities or to influence their decision-making).

According to investigators, on the evening 24 August 2016, Aram Petrosyan came into the bank in Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street in Moscow and took 4 people hostage threatening to set off a rectangular object that looked like an explosive device strapped to his chest. A few hours later the man released all the hostages and came out the bank.

During an interview Petrosyan explained that he had wanted to attract attention to his problem and had had no intention to kill the hostages. He admitted his guilt and made a statement. As a main motive of the crime the investigators see the man’s money problems and his inability to pay off his loans.

In and out-patient psychiatric, linguistic, physical, chemical, explosive and other forensic examinations are going to be run. Necessary investigative operations are underway to finish the probe.