New Delhi: A woman was killed and at least 16 other people were injured after a car was driven into crowds attending the Christopher Street Day (CSD) LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations in Berlin on July 25, triggering a massive security operation across the German capital.
Police have identified a 21-year-old suspect, Abdul B., who remains at large, and say he has known links to Islamist circles. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described as “a heinous act” and “an attack on our society.” The incident occurred in Berlin’s Tiergarten park, close to the iconic Brandenburg Gate, where thousands had gathered for one of Europe’s largest Pride celebrations. According to police, a white vehicle ploughed into the crowd, leaving one woman dead and 16 people injured. Several of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries.
Police later said that several people were also reported to have been injured with stabbing weapons during the incident. However, authorities have not clarified how many of the casualties resulted from the vehicle attack and how many were linked to the reported stabbings, nor have they explained the sequence in which the incidents unfolded.
Emergency services rushed to the scene as panic spread through the area. Around 30 people were treated for shock, while survivors were seen embracing family and friends and wrapped in emergency thermal blankets. A large section of Tiergarten park remained sealed off as forensic teams examined the scene.
Massive manhunt underway
Berlin Police have launched an extensive citywide manhunt for one or more suspects believed to have fled after the attack. Officers have named one suspect as Abdul B., a 21-year-old man described as having a slim build, black hair, wearing a black hoodie and white trousers, and standing approximately 1.9 metres tall. Police said Abdul B. is alleged to have injured several people with a moving vehicle in the Tiergarten area before fleeing.
❗️A car plowed into a crowd at an LGBTQ+ Pride parade in Berlin, killing one person and injuring at least 16 others
According to police, one or more suspects fled the vehicle after the attack. Several people were also reportedly stabbed.
Police are searching for 21-year-old… pic.twitter.com/4u1ZCpgZAx
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 26, 2026
Authorities believe one or more individuals escaped from the vehicle after the attack. Officers have warned that the suspect may be armed and dangerous and urged the public not to approach him under any circumstances.
Investigators also released a photograph of the suspect to assist in the search and stated that he has known links to Islamist circles. Despite identifying him, police have made no arrests and have not confirmed whether terrorism was the motive behind the attack.
A white vehicle believed to have been used in the assault was later found abandoned inside Tiergarten park. Images from the scene showed the damaged vehicle within the police cordon after apparently colliding with a tree. Officers were seen conducting detailed forensic examinations around the vehicle while search teams combed the surrounding park with torches.
Pride events cancelled
Following the attack, organisers of the Christopher Street Day celebrations cancelled all remaining events, including a scheduled clean-up drive in Tiergarten park and a breakfast market planned for Sunday. The main Pride celebrations, which typically attract around one million participants each year, were also called off in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Major terrorist attack in Germany. A car rammed into a crowd at the gay pride in Berlin. Atleast 1 dead and 14 injured.
Suspect is a pro-Palestine Islamist refugee.
Wonder what ‘Queers for Palestine’ will think of this? pic.twitter.com/O506y88f7k
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) July 26, 2026
Reacting to the attack, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said hundreds of thousands of people had gathered peacefully to celebrate “kindness and tolerance” before the violence erupted. Calling the incident “a heinous act”, he said Germany was “open and freedom-loving” and pledged that the country would preserve and defend those values.
“This is an attack on our society”, Merz said, expressing condolences to the victims and their families. He vowed that the attack would be investigated and prosecuted with the “utmost severity”. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the reported stabbings and the possible involvement of additional suspects. Authorities have urged anyone with information about Abdul B. or the attack to immediately contact law enforcement while the citywide search remains ongoing.
