Berlin Pride attack suspect shot dead after charging police with blade, authorities say
By SCN World Desk
BERLIN — The suspected perpetrator of the deadly attack near Berlin’s Pride celebrations was shot and killed during a police operation on Sunday, ending an intensive citywide manhunt less than a day after the violence.
Berlin police said officers located the suspect at an allotment-garden complex in the western district of Spandau. According to the initial police account, the man charged toward officers while carrying a bladed weapon, prompting police to open fire. Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate him, but he died at the scene.
The suspect was identified by authorities as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, who had reportedly been known to German police and linked to Berlin’s Islamist extremist scene. Investigators suspect him of driving a white van into people gathered near the Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations before allegedly attacking additional victims with a blade.
Police operation ends nationwide search
The police operation took place at an allotment complex in Spandau, a suburban district west of central Berlin.
Authorities had spent Sunday searching apartments, wooded areas and other locations connected to the suspect. Earlier searches, including an operation at a property in the Schöneberg district, had failed to locate him.
Police had warned members of the public not to approach the suspect because he was considered potentially armed and dangerous.
The circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting will now be reviewed as part of the wider criminal investigation. Authorities have not yet released complete information about how officers discovered the suspect, how long the confrontation lasted or how many shots were fired.
One killed and dozens injured
The original attack occurred on Saturday night near Berlin’s Tiergarten park, close to the route of the city’s annual Pride festival.
A van drove into pedestrians before crashing into a tree. Witnesses and police reports indicated that several victims also suffered injuries caused by a stabbing weapon. One person was killed, while authorities reported between 16 and 29 injured as information from hospitals and emergency services continued to be updated. Several victims were initially described as being in life-threatening condition.
The violence forced organisers and police to cancel the remaining Pride programme and a concert near the Brandenburg Gate.
More than 2,200 police officers had been deployed throughout Berlin to secure Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ events.
Suspected Islamist motive under investigation
German officials have described the incident as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack, although investigators are still examining the suspect’s precise motive, planning and possible connections.
Authorities said Ballout had a criminal history and had previously come to the attention of security agencies. Reports said he had sought to join the Islamic State group and had links to radical Islamist circles.
Investigators are also trying to determine whether anyone assisted him before, during or after the attack.
The suspect’s death means prosecutors will be unable to question him directly about his motives, preparation or potential accomplices. Digital devices, communications records, financial transactions and evidence recovered from associated properties are therefore likely to become central to the investigation.
Berlin mourns attack victims
Thousands of people later gathered near the Brandenburg Gate to mourn the victim and show solidarity with Berlin’s LGBTQ+ community.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Berlin officials and community leaders condemned the attack as an assault on freedom, tolerance and open society. Pride flags and memorial signs were displayed during a vigil held under heightened police protection.
The attack has also intensified debate over the monitoring of known extremists and the security of major public events.
Authorities now face two urgent questions: whether warning signs about the suspect were missed and whether any other individuals connected to the attack remain free.
Although the immediate manhunt has ended, the terrorism investigation is continuing.