Arkadi Simonyan, a 44-year-old Armenian male, was fatally shot on June 19, 2023, in Valley Glen, Los Angeles. The incident occurred outside a smoke shop at a strip mall near the intersection of Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Victory Boulevard. Authorities responded to reports of gunfire around 10 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Simonyan had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:23 p.m.
The shooting stemmed from an altercation involving three
individuals, reportedly linked to a business dispute. Two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Mercedes-Benz sedan, were involved in a collision in the strip mall’s parking lot, which may have escalated tensions. During the confrontation, two men drew firearms and exchanged gunfire, resulting in injuries to all three individuals. Alongside Simonyan, 38-year-old Armenian male Mesrop Malkhasyan was also fatally wounded. The third individual, 23-year-old Armenian male Vahan Simonyan, sustained injuries but survived and was transported to a nearby hospital.
Authorities later arrested Vahan Simonyan on suspicion of murder while he remained hospitalized. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that no other suspects were being sought in connection with the shooting. The investigation revealed that the dispute leading to the violence was business-related, though further details regarding the nature of the disagreement were not disclosed.
