German police are searching for a 21-year-old man believed to have links to Islamist circles after a vehicle drove into a crowd near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebrations, killing one person and injuring 16 others.
The incident disrupted a day of celebrations attended by hundreds of thousands of people and sent revellers fleeing through Tiergarten park as emergency sirens sounded across central Berlin.
Police said the suspect’s vehicle was later found abandoned several hundred metres from the main festival area. A major manhunt involving helicopters and officers from several German states was launched across the capital.
Authorities identified the suspect as Abdul B. and warned that he could be armed and dangerous. Police spokesman Florian Nath said the man was believed to have connections to Islamist circles.
The incident happened shortly before 10 p.m. on Saturday. Police said a vehicle described as a minivan or SUV entered Tiergarten and struck several people.
Berlin’s fire department said one person died and 16 others were injured, including three who suffered life-threatening injuries. Around 30 additional people were treated at the scene for shock.
Investigators said some victims may have suffered stab wounds and that one or more people were seen leaving the vehicle after the crash.
Police described the suspect as a slender man around 1.90 metres tall, with black hair. He was reportedly wearing a black hoodie and white trousers.
More than 2,000 police officers had been deployed to protect the Pride event, which is one of Europe’s largest celebrations of LGBTQ+ rights. Additional officers from across Germany later joined the search, supported by helicopters equipped with thermal-imaging technology.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the incident as a “horrific act” and said those responsible would face justice. He and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt were being kept informed of the investigation.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned what he called a brutal attack on a gathering representing a tolerant and peaceful city.
The Christopher Street Day event had drawn visitors from across Europe. The march ended near the Brandenburg Gate, where concerts had been held since Friday.
The incident has revived concerns over vehicle attacks and violence in public places in Germany. In recent years, the country has experienced several attacks involving vehicles and knives.
A truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market in 2016 killed 12 people. In 2024, a rented SUV was driven through a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six people and injuring more than 300.
A separate vehicle attack in Leipzig in May killed two people and injured six others.
The latest incident comes two months before Berlin voters are due to elect a new state assembly. The city’s governing centre-right CDU is facing competition from the far-right Alternative for Germany and the left-wing Die Linke.
Wegner announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election after criticism over his handling of a major blackout in January that authorities suspected may have been caused by sabotage.
