Abdul Ballout, the 21-year-old accused of driving a minivan into crowds near Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) celebrations, was shot dead by police on Sunday after allegedly charging at officers with a weapon during an operation in the city's Spandau district.
Berlin Police said officers tracked Ballout to an allotment garden complex in Spandau at around 6 pm local time. According to authorities, he rushed at members of the elite SEK police unit armed with a stabbing weapon, prompting officers to open fire. Despite immediate resuscitation efforts by the Berlin Fire Department, he died at the scene.
Ballout had been the subject of a nationwide manhunt since Saturday night after allegedly driving a rented minivan into crowds near one of Europe's largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations before fleeing. The attack left one person dead and 29 others injured. German authorities had identified him as a German citizen of Lebanese descent with a history of Islamist extremism. He had previously been convicted of preparing a serious act of violence after attempting to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS.
SUSPECT SHOT AFTER NATIONWIDE MANHUNT
German authorities launched a large-scale search after the attack took place near Berlin's Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, at around 10 pm local time on Saturday.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had earlier said investigators believed the incident was an act of Islamist terrorism.
"Everything we see here indicates that we are dealing with an Islamist terrorist attack," Dobrindt told reporters.
He said the suspect was a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese heritage who had previously come to the attention of authorities because of repeated criminal offences, radicalisation and links to Islamist groups.
Police identified him as Abdul B, released his photograph and urged the public not to approach him.
Security sources told Reuters that the suspect had been released from juvenile detention just two months ago. He was also known to Germany's domestic intelligence agencies and was among hundreds of individuals classified as potentially dangerous due to concerns over extremist activities.
Authorities alleged that, in addition to driving the rented van into pedestrians, Ballout attacked several people with a bladed weapon believed to be a machete before fleeing.
Investigators were also examining whether he acted alone. Police had earlier indicated that more than one person may have exited the vehicle after the crash, while broadcaster RBB reported that an Iranian passenger had been taken into custody.
The attack occurred on the sidelines of Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe's largest LGBTQ Pride events, where thousands had gathered for the closing festivities.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after the van ploughed into the crowd before crashing into a tree. The Berlin fire service said three people remained in critical condition, while dozens of others suffered injuries of varying severity. Television footage showed the heavily damaged white delivery van lodged against a tree in Tiergarten park.
THOUSANDS MOURN VICTIMS
As the investigation continued, thousands of Berlin residents gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to pay tribute to the victims. Many carried rainbow flags, laid flowers and lit candles, while others embraced in silence. Placards reading "Hatred kills" reflected the grief and anger felt across the city.
Ahead of a memorial service at St Mary's Church, Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for unity and urged Germans not to allow the attack to undermine the country's democratic values.
"We will defend the freedom, openness, and liberal spirit of our lives and our society with everything we can do," he said.
PRIDE ORGANISERS CALL FOR RESTRAINT
Organisers of Berlin's Christopher Street Day celebrations appealed for calm as authorities continued their investigation.
The CSD Association urged people not to draw premature conclusions or use the attack to fuel political divisions.
"We don't want this act to be exploited for political purposes or for people to be placed under general suspicion," a spokesperson told journalists in Berlin.
"Such violence is an attempt to divide our society."
The appeal came as political leaders and parties across Germany began responding to the attack, which took place at a politically sensitive time for the country.
