{{A longshot candidate for the Armenian presidency was shot in the chest by an unidentified gunman late Thursday, officials said.}}
Paruir Airikian was hospitalized in stable condition as police searched for the shooter, while the speaker of Parliament suggested the election could be delayed.
Airikian was shot outside his house in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, just before midnight. A neighbor who heard gunshots and cries for help called the police.
Airikian is one of eight candidates in the Feb. 18 presidential vote, which incumbent Serge Sarkisian is expected to easily win.
Recent opinion surveys show Airikian getting just over 1 percent of the vote.
Yerevan Clinical Hospital’s chief doctor, Ara Minasian, confirmed that the 63-year-old Airikian was being treated for a single gunshot wound and remained in stable condition.
AP
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