15-year-old suspect in Independence Day murder at pizzeria turns himself in to police

2 May 2026, 10:33 am

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Yemanu Binyamin Zelka, who was stabbed and killed at his Pizza Hut job in the early hours of Independence Day. (Social media, undated; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

A 15-year-old suspected of involvement in the fatal attack on pizzeria worker Yemanu Zelka on Independence Day in Petah Tikva has turned himself in to police, Hebrew-language media reports.

Police tell the Ynet news site that they had known of the teen’s involvement.

The Kan public broadcaster says 14 suspects have now been detained in connection with the killing.

Zelka, a 21-year-old Pizza Hut employee, was stabbed to death on the night of the holiday last week amid an attack by a group of adolescents after he told them not to spray party foam in the restaurant.

After waiting outside for Zelka to finish his late-night shift, the youths ambushed and beat him, with one assailant taking out a knife and stabbing him. He later died of his wounds.