Avior Sasson, 17, the main suspect in the murder of Beniahu Razi, told investigators that Razi pulled a knife first and that he tried to stab him in the hand but the blow struck him, according to journalist Inbar Tvizer (N12). Police are treating the claim with caution, citing contradictions with other evidence in the case.
The main suspect in the murder of Beniahu Razi, 17-year-old Avior Sasson, has provided his first account of the incident, claiming that he acted in self-defense. According to journalist Inbar Tvizer (N12), Sasson told investigators that Razi drew a knife first and that he intended to stab him in the hand but the blow struck him fatally. Police are treating the claim with caution, citing contradictions with other evidence in the case.
The self-defense claim is the latest development in a case that has moved quickly. On Monday, August 3, at 13:43 Jerusalem time, the prosecutor's office filed charging documents against the seven suspects at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, following the conclusion of the police investigation. Also on Monday, The Zioneer reported that one of the minor suspects, through his public defenders, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and denied direct involvement in the death. Sasson was arrested on July 28 after a weeklong manhunt that ended dramatically in a taxi near the Harel Tunnel.
Background from The Zioneer's archive indicates that Sasson was already facing an indictment for violent offenses from 2024, and had been placed in a treatment program, according to journalist Lee Ayesh. He had exercised his right to silence since his arrest. The new self-defense narrative is the first time he has offered an explanation of the events.
What remains open is whether the claim will withstand scrutiny. Police have not detailed the evidentiary contradictions, and the investigation is ongoing. The court proceedings are expected to advance toward formal indictments, with the charging documents already filed.
7 developments
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