According to Der Spiegel and RBB24, the suspect in the attack on the LGBTQ+ parade in Berlin, Germany, was eliminated by police on Sunday. The man was shot during a police operation in a garden complex in Spandau.
The suspect has been identified as Abdul Ballut, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin. According to German media Der Spiegel and the newspaper Bild, he attempted to join the Islamic State in Syria in 2025 but was detained in Lebanon.
As a German citizen, he was repatriated to his country, where in 2026 he was convicted in another case for 'preparation for an act of serious violence threatening state security.'
The attack occurred on Saturday evening when a white van crashed into people gathered in Tiergarten park, near the LGBT pride parade route. The incident resulted in one death and at least 29 injuries, some of whom are in critical condition.
An incident occurred in Berlin when a van drove through a park near the gay community parade, resulting in at least one fatality and injuring sixteen others. Authorities suspect it was a terrorist attack.
The event, which takes place annually on Christopher's Day on Lenestraße near Tiergarten Park in central Berlin, was attacked. The suspect drove into the park, hitting participants in the parade who were leaving the procession. At present, authorities are unsure how the van entered the park.
Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul K., who, according to available information, is a person known to the police and allegedly connected to an Islamist extremist environment. The van was found empty and crashed into a tree in the park. Some of the injured suffered knife wounds, which led the police to believe that Abdul might have started attacking with a knife after leaving the vehicle.
Helicopters were deployed to the area of the incident, and police cordoned off the attack site. Authorities published a photo of Abdul in an attempt to gather more data about him or his known accomplices, as the police are not yet sure if Abdul is the only suspect or if other perpetrators are involved in the violent attack. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner stated on social media platform X: 'This is an attack on our free and open society. After the peaceful and colorful gay community parade, a gathering celebrating tolerant and open Berlin, it was attacked in the most brutal way.'
Chancellor Metz was informed of the attack and is in close contact with the Interior Minister. The government press secretary stated that 'his thoughts are with the victims.' This case is the latest in a series of vehicle attacks, the deadliest of which occurred in 2016 at a Christmas market, claiming 12 lives and injuring over 50 people. Organizers announced the cancellation of the parade, which was scheduled to resume on Sunday.
At least one person died and fifteen were injured after a van drove into a crowd in Tiergarten Park in Berlin, where the LGBTQ+ Pride March was concluding.
Chaos was observed at the scene, and police and emergency services examined the injured. A police representative, Florian Nat, reported that the incident, which the police classify as a hit-and-run, resulted in one death and injuries to at least fifteen people, some of whom are in serious condition.
The vehicle was left at the scene in Tiergarten Park, a green area of the German capital where the stop took place. The driver fled and is being sought by law enforcement agencies. The Berlin police stated via the WhatsApp platform that it is assumed the vehicle entered Tiergarten Park, ran over several people, injuring them, and that they are actively searching for suspects.
As a result, the celebration was canceled. Event organizers asked participants not to pass through the park via the wooded area, but to use only the streets, urging them to return home. Although authorities believe there is no immediate danger to the public, they cannot completely rule it out yet.
Thousands of people gathered in Berlin to celebrate the Berlin Pride parade, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day, which is one of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in Europe.
