German police issue wanted notice for suspect in Berlin Pride van attack
Police in Berlin have launched a manhunt for a 21-year-old suspect linked to a van ramming that killed one person and injured at least 16 during the city's Pride celebration.
German authorities on Sunday released a wanted notice for a 21-year-old suspect identified as Abdul B., who is alleged to have driven a white van into a crowd near the Tiergarten park during Berlin's Pride festival on Saturday night. The vehicle struck several people before crashing into a tree, killing a woman and leaving at least 16 others with injuries ranging from slight to life-threatening. Police warned the public to avoid direct contact with the suspect, describing him as potentially armed and dangerous.
Police spokesperson Florian Nath said the suspect is known to law enforcement and is associated with Islamic circles in Berlin, adding that investigators have no information on his specific motives. Searches have been conducted across the city, including an early-morning raid on an apartment in the Schöneberg district, which yielded no arrests.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. as the closing party for the Christopher Street Day event was underway near the Brandenburg Gate, prompting organizers to cancel the program and advise attendees to leave the area. Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack, calling it an assault on society and reaffirming Germany's commitment to freedom.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with emergency vehicles converging on the park. The damaged van remained at the site the following morning.