Police shoot suspect in Berlin Pride vehicle attack dead

German police said they shot and killed 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese descent, during a confrontation in the Spandau suburb of Berlin on Sunday. The suspect, who police linked to the Islamist scene, had allegedly driven a rented vehicle into the city’s LGBTQ+ Pride parade and later approached officers with a knife, prompting them to fire. Ballout died at the scene, authorities said.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as an Islamic terror attack and noted that Ballout had previously been convicted for attempting to join ISIS, had shared extremist propaganda online, and had been arrested in 2024 for planning to travel to Syria. He had served a suspended sentence after admitting to the crimes.

Police are still investigating whether Ballout acted alone. They recovered the damaged vehicle used in the ramming and searched an apartment in Berlin’s Schöneberg district, finding no additional suspects. A man with Iranian citizenship was detained, but his involvement remains unconfirmed.

Berlin’s fire service reported three victims with life-threatening injuries, eight seriously injured and five with minor injuries. No victim has been identified as killed. The attack occurred near a party close to the Brandenburg Gate, prompting a memorial gathering later that day.

"These acts aim to divide our society and threaten our openness and freedom," Interior Minister Dobrindt said.

The incident adds to a series of vehicle-ramming attacks in Germany that have killed multiple people in recent years.