Berlin Pride attack leaves 1 dead, dozens injured

German authorities on Sunday continued a manhunt for the suspect in a deadly vehicle attack near Berlin’s annual Christopher Street Day Pride celebration after a van plowed into a crowd, killing one person and injuring at least 29 others before the driver fled.

Police issued a wanted notice for the 21-year-old suspect, identified under German privacy rules as Abdul B., warning the public not to approach him because he may be armed and dangerous. Authorities said the suspect is known to police and has ties to Islamist circles in Berlin but also stressed investigators have not yet determined a motive or whether he acted alone.

The attack unfolded around 10 p.m. Saturday in Berlin’s Tiergarten park near the iconic Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered throughout the day for Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations. Police said a white van drove into the crowd before crashing into a tree. Investigators later said one or more people may have fled the vehicle after it came to a stop, and some victims also suffered stab wounds, raising questions about whether additional suspects were involved.

A woman was killed in the attack. Berlin’s fire service said three people suffered life-threatening injuries, eight others were seriously hurt and five sustained minor injuries. Organizers canceled the remainder of the Pride festivities and evening concert as emergency responders flooded the area and authorities secured the scene.

“What an abhorrent act in Berlin,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on social media, calling the violence “an attack on our society.”

Was für eine abscheuliche Tat in Berlin. Hunderttausende Menschen aus aller Welt feierten friedlich beim Christopher Street Day. Sie wollten, dass wir gut und tolerant miteinander umgehen.
Das ist ein Angriff auf unsere Gesellschaft.

— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) July 26, 2026

He continued on: “We are open and freedom-loving—and we will preserve and defend that. The act will be investigated and pursued with the utmost severity. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I wish the injured a swift recovery and thank all emergency responders.”

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner similarly described the attack as an assault on the city’s values of freedom and tolerance, while other European leaders and LGBTQ+ organizations expressed solidarity with victims and the Berlin community.

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The attack comes as Germany has heightened security around large public gatherings following a series of deadly vehicle-ramming incidents in recent years. More than 2,200 police officers had been deployed for this year’s Pride celebrations before Saturday night’s attack. Authorities said the investigation remains active as officers work to determine exactly what happened and whether anyone else was involved.

Locals have already set up makeshift memorials at the scene. “Liebe Siegt,” (Love Wins!) declares a prominent sign, echoing similar sentiments at LGBTQ+ memorials everywhere, now from the Stonewall Inn to Brandenburg Gate.