Suspect shot dead after Berlin Pride attack kills one and injures 29

A 21-year-old man suspected of killing one woman and injuring 29 people near Berlin’s Pride celebrations has been shot dead by police, German officials have said.

The attack happened at around 10pm local time on Saturday (25 July), near Tiergarten park and close to the Brandenburg Gate, as Berlin’s Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations were taking place.

Authorities say a rented minivan was driven into pedestrians before the suspect allegedly attacked people with what appeared to be a machete.

The suspect has been named as Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots. Police said he was found on Sunday evening in the Spandau district of Berlin after a search lasting almost 24 hours.

According to Associated Press, Berlin police said Ballout apparently ran towards officers with a sharp instrument before police opened fire. He died at the scene.

German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said officials believe the attack was an Islamic extremist terror attack. Prosecutors said Ballout had previously sought to join the so-called Islamic State group.

The violence happened a few hundred metres from a party near the Brandenburg Gate that was due to close Berlin’s Pride festival. AP reports that the attack did not take place at the festival itself, on the parade route or at the closing party, but nearby in Tiergarten park. The crowd is believed to have included a mix of Pride attendees and other people in the area.

Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Berlin for Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

On Sunday, mourners gathered near the Brandenburg Gate, laying flowers, candles, rainbow flags and homemade signs in memory of the victims.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz urged people not to be divided or intimidated after the attack.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the violence as an attack on the city’s freedom and openness, saying his thoughts were with the victims, their families and friends.

Andre Lehmann, from German LGBTQ+ organisation LSVD+, told AP the suspected attack had hit “the heart of the queer community”.

Security measures at other major events in Germany, including Pride events, are now expected to be reviewed.