The man suspected of carrying out an attack at Berlin Pride that left one person dead and 29 injured has been shot and killed by police. German authorities are investigating the incident as an "Islamist terror attack," with the suspect identified as 21-year-old German citizen Abdul Ballout.

Berlin Pride Suspect Shot During Spandau Operation

Officers opened fire on Abdul Ballout in Spandau, a western borough of Berlin, when he reportedly rushed at them armed with a knife. This confrontation brought an end to a large-scale manhunt initiated after a white van was deliberately driven into a crowd of people near Tiergarten park on Saturday evening.

Following the van ramming, several individuals were also injured in a subsequent stabbing incident, according to police reports. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated on Sunday that evidence strongly indicated the attack was of an "Islamist terror" nature. He noted the suspect had previously attracted attention due to a significant criminal record, signs of radicalisation, and connections to the Islamist scene.

Suspect's Criminal History and Radicalisation

Further details emerging from the Berlin public prosecutor's office shed light on Ballout's past activities. In May 2025, he is alleged to have travelled via Turkey to Lebanon with the stated intention of joining the Islamic State group in Syria. While in Lebanon, he reportedly made contact with individuals he believed were IS members.

Ballout was arrested in Lebanon in July 2025 and subsequently served a three-month prison sentence for inciting religious and sectarian conflict. He returned to Germany in November 2025, where he was detained at Berlin Brandenburg Airport and held in pre-trial detention. In May of the current year, he received a sentence of one year and 10 months for "preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state," with the decision deferred for six months and his placement under parole supervision.

  • Convicted of assault and robbery in 2022.
  • Previously convicted of robbing a victim of headphones in 2020.

National Security and Vigilance Measures

In the wake of the attack, Mr. Dobrindt announced that Germany's national threat level would be elevated. Other nations have also been briefed and advised to review their security protocols for major public events. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the site of the attack in Tiergarten park on Sunday, later vowing to "defend the freedom and openness of our lives" at a church service commemorating the victims.

He emphasised that "extremists have no place in our society" and that Germany would not permit the "poison of terrorism" to infiltrate its communities. The injured victims are reportedly no longer in life-threatening conditions, according to German media reports. The attack occurred during Berlin's Christopher Street Day, a prominent Pride event drawing hundreds of thousands to the city streets.