Berlin Pride attack suspect shot dead by police; incident classified as ‘Islamist terror’ attack

The man who carried out the deadly attack near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) celebrations was shot dead by police on Sunday after a massive manhunt. He was identified as Abdul Ballout, 21. Officers opened fire after Abdul Ballout charged at them with a weapon during an operation in the city’s Spandau district.

Berlin’s Senate Department for Interior Affairs confirmed that the fugitive suspect in a Saturday van ramming during Berlin Pride was shot dead in a police operation on Sunday.

Berlin Police said officers had located the suspect, Abdul Ballout, at a garden allotment in Spandau on the western outskirts of the city around 6 pm local time. Authorities said he rushed towards members of the elite SEK unit with a stabbing weapon, prompting police to open fire. The firefighters tried to resuscitate him, but he died of his wounds at the scene.

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‘Made multiple attempts to leave Germany and join Islamic State’

Judicial authorities confirmed that Abdul had made multiple failed attempts to leave Germany and join the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

He had initially tried to travel to Mauritania through Turkey but ultimately travelled from Turkey to Lebanon in an attempt to make his way to Syria to join IS, the public prosecutor general’s office of the city-state of Berlin said.

He was sentenced to three months in prison by a Lebanese military court for inciting religious and confessional conflict, among other things. He returned to Germany in November 2025 and was arrested at Berlin International Airport.

Ballout was focus of nationwide manhunt since Saturday night

Abdul Ballout had been the focus of a nationwide manhunt since Saturday night after driving a minivan into crowds near one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations before fleeing. The attack killed one person and injured 29 others.

German authorities had earlier identified him as a German citizen of Lebanese descent and a known Islamist extremist. He had previously been convicted of “preparing a serious act of violence” after a failed attempt to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS.

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German authorities had launched an extensive search operation after the attack unfolded near Berlin’s Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, at around 10 pm (local time) on Saturday.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect, a German citizen of Lebanese heritage, had previously come to the attention of authorities due to repeated criminal offences, radicalisation, and links to the Islamist scene.

Suspect was known to intelligence services, classified as potentially dangerous

Security sources said he had been released from juvenile detention only two months ago. He was also known to Germany’s domestic intelligence services and was among hundreds of individuals classified as potentially dangerous because of concerns over extremist activities. Authorities said the attacker not only drove the rented van into pedestrians but also assaulted several people with a bladed weapon believed to be a machete before fleeing.

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The attack happened on the sidelines of Berlin’s annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ Pride events, where thousands had gathered for the closing festivities.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene after the van crashed into a crowd before coming to a stop against a tree. The Berlin fire service said three of the injured remained in life-threatening condition, while dozens of others sustained injuries of varying severity.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz appealed for unity and urged Germans not to allow violence to undermine the country’s democratic values.

The attack took place at a politically sensitive time for Germany.