On Sunday, 26th July, Abdul Ballout, an Islamist who was suspected of driving a minivan into a crowd near Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations in Berlin, was shot dead by police after officers tracked him down in the city’s Spandau district. Police said the suspect was carrying a bladed weapon and ran towards officers, forcing them to open fire.
Germany: The suspect in the deadly Berlin Pride attack, which left one person dead and 29 others injured, has been shot dead by German police following a nearly 24-hour manhunt. The suspect, identified as Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese origin, was killed during a… pic.twitter.com/76crkMSpZ6
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According to the Berlin police, the man was found at around 6 p.m. local time in an allotment garden complex in Spandau. Despite immediate efforts by the Berlin Fire Department to save him, he died at the scene. A spokesperson for Germany’s federal prosecutor also confirmed that one person had been shot and declared dead.
Attack near Pride celebrations
The vehicle attack took place at around 10 p.m. on Saturday, 25th July, in Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, where thousands of people had gathered for Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s biggest annual LGBTQ Pride events.
The attack killed one person and left 29 others injured, according to authorities. The incident shocked the city and led to heightened security concerns during the Pride celebrations.
Police identified the suspect
Earlier on Sunday, Berlin police identified the suspect as Abdul Ballot (21 years old) and released his photograph while asking the public to help locate him.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect was a German citizen of Lebanese heritage who was born in Germany in 2005. He added that the man had previously come to the attention of authorities because of numerous criminal offences, his radicalisation, and his links with the Islamist scene.
The attack is the latest in a series of incidents in Germany where vehicles have been driven into crowds. Such attacks have increased public debate over security, immigration, and public safety, while support for far-right political groups has also grown in recent years.
Chancellor calls for unity
Before attending a memorial service at St Mary’s Church in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged people to stand together in support of 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,” Merz said, calling on Germans to protect the values that define the country.
