Suspect in Berlin Pride attack identified as ‘Islamist’

James RothwellSun, July 26, 2026 at 3:26 AM UTC

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Emergency services tend to an injured person - Reuters

The suspect allegedly involved in the ramming attack at Berlin’s Gay Pride festival has been identified by police as a member of the city’s “Islamist scene”.

At least one person was killed and 17 others were injured on Saturday night, including three critically, after a white van mowed down a crowd of people at the event.

A manhunt remains underway for the driver of the vehicle which onlookers say crashed into a group of people at the event at around 10pm local time at high speed.

The driver allegedly attacked people with a knife after the collision, which occurred at Berlin’s Tiergarten park. The suspect later fled the scene on foot and remains at large.

“Based on the investigators’ initial findings, we have already identified a suspected perpetrator,” Florian Nath, a spokesman for Berlin police, said, adding that the force’s search for the suspect was “proceeding at full speed”.

“He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin ... we still have no information whatsoever regarding his specific motives, the exact sequence of events, or his role in the crime itself.”

A photograph of the vehicle involved in the collision showed what appeared to be a white van with a heavily damaged bonnet.

Eyewitnesses described seeing people lying on the ground with stab wounds in the aftermath of the attack.

Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered to celebrate the Christopher Street Day 2026 LGBT parade on Saturday.

There was no immediate confirmation from German authorities as to whether the incident was terror-related.

04:25am

That’s all for today

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You can continue to follow the latest news on this attack in our news story here.

02:32am

Search for suspect ‘proceeding at full speed’

Florian Nath, a Berlin police spokesman, told reporters the force’s search for the suspect was “proceeding at full speed”.

He did not identify the suspect by name, but said that he was already known to police and is from Berlin.

“Based on the investigators’ initial findings, we have already identified a suspected perpetrator,” he said. “He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin.”

02:07am

Suspect identified as ‘Islamist’

The suspect of the ramming attack has been identified as a member of Berlin’s “Islamist scene”, police said on Sunday.

“We have now identified a suspected perpetrator. Measures against this suspected perpetrator, who has not yet been arrested, are underway. However, this suspected perpetrator is known to the police as a member of the Islamist scene here in Berlin,” the spokesperson told reporters at the scene.

01:31am

Three people fighting for life

A total of 17 people have now been injured, a fire brigade spokesperson has said.

Of those, eight have serious injuries and three remain in a life-threatening condition.

12:59am

Watch: Crowds flee the scene

Video showed crowds fleeing the area as emergency services rushed to the scene following the attack.

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the march earlier on Saturday – called Christopher Street Day in Germany – which is one of the biggest Pride events in Europe.

The march ended next to the Brandenburg Gate, which has been the venue for concerts since Friday.

Germany has in recent years seen several violent attacks at public spaces, including a stabbing in February 2025 at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, a stone’s throw from the scene of Saturday’s incident, in which a Spanish tourist was seriously injured.

12:09am

Sixteen people injured

The number of people injured in the ramming attack has risen to 16, according to emergency responders at the scene.

Earlier, German police said on X: “There are many injured, among whom multiple people have life-threatening injuries.”

Video widely circulated online showed several ambulances enroute to the scene.

Credit: X

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12:03am

Some victims were stabbed

Police have confirmed that some of the injured suffered stab wounds.

Florian Nath, a spokesman for Berlin police, said eyewitnesses spoke of seeing people lying on the ground with stab wounds in the aftermath of the attack.

“We are conducting an intensive search for possible suspects,” Mr Nath said in a short video posted on X.

Police work at the scene - AFP

11:52pm

Polanski sends ‘love and solidarity’

Zack Polanski, the leader of the UK Green party, has said he sends “all my love and solidarity” to Berlin.

Alfonso Pantisano, the LGBT affairs officer for the Berlin Senate, told Tagesspiegel, a German newspaper, that he was “completely shaken” by the attack.

“This is a day of great mourning for the queer community,” he said.

11:41pm

Incident an ‘attack’ on Germany’s free society

Kai Wegner, the outgoing mayor of Berlin, has described the incident as an “attack” on Germany’s “free and open society”.

German police have said it is too early to say what the motive behind the collision was, such as terrorism.

But Mr Wegner said in a post on X: “[This was] an attack on our free and open society - after a peaceful and colorful CSD, the assembly for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way. Berlin is the city of freedom - and our freedom has been attacked in the most horrific way today.”

He added: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends. I thank the emergency services who were immediately on site and did everything in their power. And I trust the police and security authorities, who will investigate at full speed.”

Berlin’s mayor Kai Wegner speaks to the media - AFP

11:39pm

Senator urges against speculation

A Berlin senator has urged against speculating about the incident as he said that it “didn’t happen” at the Gay Pride event itself.

Christian Gaebler, Berlin’s Senator for Urban Development from the Social Democrats [SPD] party, said it was too early to say if there was a motive behind the incident.

“It didn’t even happen at the event itself, but actually in the Tiergarten,” he said, referring to the iconic Berlin park adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate.

11:32pm

Revellers told to ‘go home’

The incident occurred at around 10pm and the Pride event was called off approximately 15 minutes later.

According to German media, a band had been playing on the stage when news spread of the collision and the performance was interrupted.

Revellers were told to “go home” and avoid taking routes through the Tiergarten park, where the collision occurred.

A man sits wrapped in a security blanket near the scene - AFP

11:28pm

Merz ‘being kept informed’

Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, is “being kept informed and is close contact with” Alexander Dobrindt, the German interior minister, Mr Merz’s office said.

A spokesman added: “His thoughts are with the victims.”

Emergency responders operate at the site - Reuters

11:11pm

Manhunt for driver

A manhunt is underway for the driver responsible for ploughing into the crowd.

According to Bild tabloid, the driver of the vehicle allegedly attacked people with a bladed weapon after getting out.

He then fled the scene and remains at large.

A photograph of the vehicle involved in the collision showed what appeared to be a white van with a heavily damaged bonnet.

The crashed white van

A large number of police were on Saturday night searching an area between Potsdamer Platz and the south side of the Tiergarten tunnel.

11:09pm

Car drives into crowd at Berlin’s Pride parade

We will be bringing you the latest on this breaking news story. Follow our live blog for updates.

At least one person has been killed and several have been injured in the German capital.

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Source: “AOL Breaking”