Berlin Pride Attack Suspect Killed by Police After Deadly Vehicle and Stabbing Rampage

The suspect accused of carrying out a deadly attack at Berlin's annual Pride celebration has been shot and killed during a police operation, according to Berlin police.

Authorities said the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Abdul B., died Sunday after officers located him in Berlin's Spandau district following an extensive manhunt.

The attack unfolded Saturday evening during Berlin's Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe's largest LGBTQ+ Pride events. Investigators say the suspect drove a van into a crowd gathered in Tiergarten Park before exiting the vehicle and attacking people with a bladed weapon believed to be a machete.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said one person was killed and 29 others were injured, with several suffering serious injuries. Officials are investigating the incident as an Islamist attack.

According to German authorities, the suspect was a German citizen of Lebanese background who had previously come to the attention of law enforcement because of alleged ties to Islamist circles in Berlin and reported efforts to join the Islamic State group.

Witnesses described hearing a loud crash before panic spread through the crowd. Police quickly evacuated the area while emergency crews treated victims and launched a search for the suspect. The abandoned van was later found crashed into a tree.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the violence, calling it a "heinous act" and an attack on Germany's values of freedom and tolerance. He pledged that authorities would investigate the incident thoroughly and respond with the full force of the law.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner also denounced the attack, saying the city "was attacked in the most brutal manner" after what had been a peaceful celebration of diversity and inclusion.

Berlin Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day, has been held annually since 1979 and regularly draws hundreds of thousands of participants advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.

Authorities continue to investigate the attack, including whether anyone else may have been involved.

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