Berlin Pride Attack Leaves One Dead, 29 Hurt

Sun Sep 06 2026 22:06:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A van ramming into a Berlin Pride parade on Sunday killed one woman and wounded at least 29, authorities say the attacker was shot dead.

On Sunday night a white van was driven into a crowd at Berlin’s annual Pride parade, killing one woman and injuring at least 29. Police identified the 21‑year‑old suspect, Abdul Ballout, as the perpetrator and shot him dead during an operation in Spandau. The assault was deemed an Islamist terror attack. German leaders condemned the incident and pledged support to victims, while EU officials offered solidarity. Investigators noted the suspect’s radicalised background and prior criminal history.

Berlin Pride Attack Leaves One Dead, 29 Hurt

At night on Sunday, a white van was driven into a crowd of thousands at the Berlin Pride parade, killing one woman and wounding at least 29 people, police said.

Crash site of the van in Tiergarten park — White van crashed into a tree after ramming into the Tiergarten crowd.

The attack began around 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT). Hundreds of protestors were marching from the Brandenburg Gate to Tiergarten park when the vehicle struck them, striking a person who later died. Others sustained injuries that ranged from minor lacerations to more serious wounds.

Police confirmed that the suspect, 21‑year‑old Abdul Ballout – a German citizen of Lebanese descent – was shot and killed during a shoot‑out in Spandau while brandishing a knife. Ballout had been on the police radar earlier in the year after a court sentence for preparing a serious act of violence and various assault convictions.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the incident a “heinous attack” and vowed an uncompromising pursuit of justice. European leaders—including the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten—issued statements of solidarity with victims and praised the free, equal values embodied by Pride events.

Police swelled their presence to cover the entire city, deploying several thousand officers from surrounding states. They set up a perimeter around Spandau’s allotments where Ballout was ultimately neutralised, and they investigated the rented vehicle that had been used in the assault.

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