The car-ramming attack at Berlin’s LGBTQ+ Pride parade on Saturday was likely motivated by Islamist extremist ideology, German authorities said on Sunday, as police intensified efforts to trace the suspect. The attack at one of Europe’s largest Pride events left one person dead and at least 29 others injured.
Police have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, describing him as someone linked to Berlin’s “Islamist scene” and already known to law enforcement.
“Everything we have seen so far points to this being an Islamist terrorist attack,” German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday.
According to Dobrindt, Ballout was born in Germany after his mother became a naturalised German citizen in 2002. He said the suspect had previously been convicted in Berlin and had received a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months, though he did not disclose the nature of the offence.
Police searched an apartment in Berlin’s Schöneberg district early on Sunday but found no trace of the suspect. His badly damaged vehicle remained at the scene of the attack, CBS news reported.
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Authorities have issued a wanted notice warning that Ballout may be armed and dangerous, urging the public not to approach him and to report any sightings immediately.
Investigators Probe Possible Accomplices
Investigators are also examining whether the suspect acted alone.
Police believe one or more individuals may have fled the vehicle after it came to a halt. Several victims also sustained stab wounds, raising the possibility that others were involved, although authorities have not confirmed this.
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Dobrindt said the suspect is believed to have attacked people with a machete during the incident.
Berlin’s fire service said three of the injured remain in a life-threatening condition, while eight suffered serious injuries and five sustained minor injuries. The identity of the person killed has not yet been released.
Celebration Turned Into Tragedy
The attack came after thousands of people had spent hours celebrating peacefully at the Pride event near Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, which featured colourful floats, live music and a march through the city.
“It’s a dark day for the community,” said attendee Julian Miethig, who had been planning to attend an after-party when he learnt of the attack.
Latest In String Of Vehicle Attacks
The Berlin incident is the latest in a series of deadly vehicle attacks that have reignited concerns over public safety in Germany.
In December 2024, six people were killed and hundreds injured after a car ploughed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg. Two months later, a vehicle struck trade union demonstrators in Munich, killing a woman and her two-year-old daughter. In March 2025, another car-ramming attack in Mannheim claimed two lives.
Although investigators have attributed different motives to the attacks, they have collectively intensified debate over immigration, security and extremism, while increasing pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and mainstream political parties to reassure the public over national security.
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Condemning Saturday’s attack, Merz described it as “an attack on freedom” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
“What a horrific act in Berlin,” the Chancellor wrote on social media. “Germany stands for freedom, and we will preserve and defend it.”
