Watch: At the scene of Berlin Pride attack as manhunt continues
One woman has been killed and at least 29 others injured after a van was driven into a crowd at a Berlin Pride event on Saturday night, in what officials say was likely an “Islamist terror attack”.
Police have launched an intensive manhunt for the suspect in the German capital.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned the incident as a “heinous” attack.
Here is what we know so far.
The attack happened at about 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT). A report was made to police in Berlin that a white vehicle had been driven into crowds at a Pride event in the capital.
Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered at Tiergarten park, near the iconic Brandenburg Gate, for the annual event, which is known as Christopher Street Day.
Some people were also stabbed in the incident, with a blade officials believe could have been a machete.
Shortly afterwards, the Pride event was cancelled.
A performance was abruptly brought to a end, with organisers taking to the stage and advising the crowd to start walking towards the exits.
As the message was being given to the crowd, the word “evacuation” was projected onto a large screen on the stage.
Unverified video posted to social media showed large crowds of people leaving the scene as emergency vehicles raced to the scene.
At about 01:00 local time, police confirmed that one woman had been killed and many more had suffered injuries.
A short time later, police confirmed they had found the vehicle believed to have been used in the attack, saying it had crashed into a tree.
Image source, ReutersAt about 03:30, police said on X they had identified a suspect with Islamist links. No arrest has been made or motive suggested.
The search area was widened to the entire city and involved thousands of police, including officers from surrounding German states.
On Sunday, police officers stood guard outside an apartment block in Berlin’s Tiergarten district, which is said to be the suspect’s home.
The suspect has been named by police as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese background.
He was known to police and has committed a number of crimes, officials said. He had previously been sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison, but the sentence was commuted to parole.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect had been radicalised.
German media outlets are reporting he is a supporter of Islamic State group (IS), and tried in the past – unsuccessfully – to join the organisation.
Police sources are quoted in German media as saying he travelled to Lebanon in 2025 and was arrested on his return to Berlin. Reports say he had been in pre-trial detention until May 2026 and had been ordered to take part in a de-radicalisation programme.
He is believed to be connected to the vehicle found abandoned in the park.
While his image has been released and a manhunt is under way, police have also said that one or more people may have fled the vehicle used, meaning there could be additional suspects.
The police statement added that several people are reported to have been injured with stabbing weapons in the attack.
Image source, Polizei BerlinPolice have called on members of the public to come forward with information, but have been warned not to engage with the suspect, who is believed to be armed and dangerous.
At the time of the attack, Ballout, described as thin and around 6ft 2in, is believed to have been wearing a black hooded top and white trousers.
The attack took place in the popular Tiergarten park, near the Brandenberg Gate.
A large number of people and floats took part in the Christopher Street Day event, which passed through the city, before moving through Tiergarten park, past the Victory Column monument, and towards the Brandenberg Gate.
Berlin Police have said people were hit on Ahornsteig, which is a long path stretching across the park, largely in a forested area.
European leaders have been swift to condemn the attack.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her sympathy to the victims, saying the Pride event stands for “freedom, dignity, and equality – the fundamental values of the EU”.
“Every person should be able to live, love, and stand up for their rights without fear,” she wrote on social media.
Rob Jetten, prime minister of the Netherlands, said the Dutch stand “shoulder to shoulder with our German neighbours”, while Italy’s prime minister Georgia Meloni expressed “solidarity and sincere sympathy”.
The UK’s defence secretary Wes Streeting called the incident “an absolutely horrific disaster”, adding his thoughts and prayers are with the German people.
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