Instead of Change, a Knife Attack: A Store Employee Stabs a Customer

A store employee in the Kanaker-Zeytun administrative district of Yerevan has stabbed a customer. This information has been reported by the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia. During the investigation of the initiated criminal case, it was revealed that the cause of the stabbing was a dispute over change.

A 42-year-old resident of Yerevan purchased cigarettes from a grocery store located on Yan-Rainis Street, paying 20,000 AMD. "The assistant to the store manager, who is also the son of the owner, was serving the customer at that time and informed him that there was not enough change in the cash register to return the difference. The customer, believing that the employee was lying and taking the situation personally, argued with the serving employee, which continued outside in front of the grocery store, during which the customer insulted the employee while making a sharp hand motion towards him," the message states.

According to the investigative body, the employee, in response to the aggressive behavior exhibited towards him, the insults, and noticing the movement directed at him, stabbed the customer with a knife "with the intent to inflict bodily harm." It is reported that he had previously taken a kitchen knife from the store. The blow was struck to the left side of the customer's chest, causing a "penetrating cut wound to the left side of the chest, inflicting severe bodily harm that threatens life."

The assistant to the store manager has been charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (intentional infliction of serious bodily harm). A signature not to leave has been chosen as a measure of restraint against him. The preliminary investigation has been completed, and the criminal case has been sent to court with an accusatory conclusion.