Van rams Berlin Pride parade, killing one and injuring 17; police hunt Islamist suspect Abdul B.
A driver ploughed a van into crowds at Berlin's Christopher Street Day parade on Saturday evening, killing a woman and wounding at least 17 people before fleeing. Police have identified the suspect as Abdul B., a 21-year-old with ties to the city's Islamist scene, and launched a manhunt across the capital.
What happened
On Saturday around 22:00, a white van was driven into a group of participants at the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin's Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdamer Platz. The annual event is one of the largest LGBTQ+ gatherings in Europe. The vehicle struck the crowd on Lennéstraße, where the march was ending, and crashed into a tree. Witnesses told authorities the driver may have attacked people with a knife after leaving the van; this is under investigation.
- Van drives into crowd at Christopher Street Day parade on Lennéstraße
- Police identify suspect as Islamist-linked Abdul B., search Schöneberg flat
- Wanted poster published; manhunt continues across Berlin
Casualties and the scene
A woman died at the scene. At least 16 people were injured, with some reports putting the total at 17. Eight sustained serious injuries, three are in a life-threatening condition, and five suffered lighter wounds. Around 30 attendees received psychological support. Organisers halted the event immediately and screens displayed evacuation instructions asking people to leave calmly.
- Killed
- 1 people
- Life-threatening
- 3 people
- Serious
- 8 people
- Lighter injuries
- 5 people
- Psychological support
- 30 people
Suspect and manhunt
Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath confirmed the suspect is Abdul B., a 21-year-old known to law enforcement. He described him as a member of the capital's "Islamist scene." The wanted man, approximately 190 cm tall, slim, with black hair, was released from juvenile detention in May 2026, according to dpa. A wanted poster issued on Sunday morning warns he is dangerous and may be armed. Overnight, police searched a flat in the Schöneberg district without success, and special units with helicopters remain deployed.
The suspect of the car attack during Saturday's Pride parade has been identified as a member of Berlin's 'Islamist scene'.
If you encounter the suspect, call 110 immediately! Do not approach him. He may be armed and dangerous!
## Reactions
Mayor Kai Wegner said the attack was an assault on the city's values. "This is an attack on our free and open society. After a peaceful and colourful Christopher Street Day, the gathering for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way," he posted. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the act "horrifying" and later "heinous." He said he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt would ensure a full investigation and that the perpetrators face justice. "We are an open and freedom-loving people – and we will defend these values," Merz wrote.
