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German police have shot dead the main suspect in the Berlin Pride attack after authorities said he charged officers with a knife during an operation in Berlin’s Spandau district. The suspect had been sought after Saturday’s van ramming and subsequent knife attack near the city’s Christopher Street Day celebrations, which killed one woman and injured 29 others.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said investigators are treating the incident as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack. Authorities said there is currently no indication of an ongoing threat, although the wider investigation remains active.
Details
- Police operation: Authorities said officers located the suspect at a garden allotment in Berlin’s Spandau district. Police opened fire after he allegedly charged at them with a knife. He died at the scene despite resuscitation efforts.
- The suspect: Officials identified the suspect as Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German citizen with Lebanese heritage. According to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, he was known to authorities for previous criminal offences, alleged Islamist radicalisation and links to the Islamist scene.
- The attack: Investigators said a rented white van was driven into pedestrians near Tiergarten Park shortly before 10 p.m. local time on Saturday before the suspect allegedly attacked additional victims with a bladed weapon. One woman was killed and 29 people were injured.
- Criminal history: Berlin prosecutors said Ballout travelled to Lebanon via Turkey in 2025 in an alleged attempt to join the Islamic State group in Syria. After returning to Germany, he was convicted of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state and received a suspended prison sentence under supervision.
- Government response: Dobrindt said Germany would raise its threat level and review security measures for major public events. Federal prosecutors have taken over the investigation, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Germans not to be intimidated, saying extremists “have no place in our society.” Hundreds of people later gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate to honour the victims.
What to Watch
Federal prosecutors will continue the terrorism investigation while determining whether anyone else assisted the suspect. Although officials say there is no indication of an immediate ongoing threat, authorities are reviewing security arrangements for future public events following the attack, including major Pride celebrations across Germany.
