Italian
The manhunt that began after the bloody attack that shocked the Berlin Pride has ended with the death of the main suspect. German authorities have confirmed that 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese descent believed to be responsible for the attack on Saturday night in Tiergarten park, was shot dead by police during an operation in the Spandau district, on the western outskirts of the capital.
BERLIN – The attack, which investigators believe has the characteristics of an Islamist-inspired act, resulted in the death of a woman and injured 29 others, some in serious condition, in the midst of the Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in Europe.
The attack among the Pride crowd
According to investigators’ reconstruction, shortly before 10 PM on Saturday, a rented white minivan suddenly deviated from its path, hitting dozens of people along one of the avenues of Tiergarten, just a short distance from the Brandenburg Gate, where the Pride celebrations had just concluded.
After the impact, the driver reportedly got out of the vehicle wielding a sharp weapon, described by several witnesses as a machete, striking other people before fleeing. The incident caused panic among the hundreds of thousands of participants still crowding the city center.
The police immediately launched a large manhunt using helicopters and special units from other Länder as well.
The raid and the death of the suspect
The searches concluded on Sunday with an intervention by special forces in an urban garden complex in the Spandau district. During the operation, Abdul Ballout was hit by shots fired by the agents and died on the spot. Authorities have not yet disclosed the details of the clash that led to his death.
Previously, investigators had released a photograph and details of the young man, urging the public not to attempt any contact as he was considered armed and extremely dangerous.
A profile already known to the services
The German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt explained that the suspect was already known to the authorities for numerous criminal records and a path of radicalization.
According to the minister, Ballout had already received a conviction, as a minor, to one year and ten months of imprisonment with a suspended sentence.
German media also report that the young man allegedly expressed sympathies for the Islamic State and that in 2025 he attempted to reach the Middle East to join the jihadist organization. Upon returning to Germany, he was reportedly convicted of preparing a serious act of violence against the state.
The father: “He had been manipulated”
In an interview given to the German media from Lebanon, where he is visiting family, the father of the young man described his son as a caring person, stating that the family does not share any extremist ideology.
The man recounted having argued multiple times with Abdul over his long beard, which he considered a symbol of radicalization, even claiming that his son had been “brainwashed.”
Just a few hours before the attack, according to his account, the two had spoken on the phone as usual without any sign of what was about to happen.
Germany’s Reaction
The chancellor Friedrich Merz described the attack as “an aggression against our society” and assured that the government will take all necessary measures to defend the security and democratic values of the country.
As a sign of mourning, the Bundestag flag has been flown at half-mast.
The mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner spoke of “a brutal attack against a free and cosmopolitan city,” emphasizing how the demonstration had been peaceful up to that point.
Solidarity from Europe
Numerous European leaders have expressed solidarity with Germany. The President of the Council Giorgia Meloni condemned all forms of hatred and extremism, reaffirming Italy’s solidarity with the German people.
Messages of support have also come from French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
The attack reignites the debate on security in Germany, which has already been marked in recent months by several episodes of violence involving cars and knives. Investigations continue to clarify any contacts the suspect may have had with extremist networks and to verify whether he acted entirely alone.
