The alleged perpetrator of the attack at an LGBTQ+ community festival in Berlin is a Muslim a spokesperson for the German police announced today, adding that the suspect has not yet been arrested.

“We have now identified the suspect. The operation to locate the alleged perpetrator is ongoing, and he has not yet been arrested. However, the suspect is known to the police and comes from the Islamist community here in Berlin,” a police spokesperson told reporters.

One person was killed and 16 others were injured on Saturday evening when a white van drove into a crowd gathered to celebrate Christopher Street Day, an event dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights that includes one of the largest Pride celebrations in Europe.

The vehicle crashed into a tree, and the driver abandoned it and managed to escape. According to the newspaper BILD, he was carrying a sharp object, possibly a knife, which he reportedly turned toward the crowd. Eyewitnesses also told the newspaper that they saw people with knife wounds.

German media had earlier reported that a suspect had been arrested, and a related video has been circulating on social media. However, the police denied the report and clarified that the arrests shown in the videos were related to incidents that had occurred earlier in the day during the festival events.

Timeline of the Attack

The incident occurred shortly after 10:00 p.m. local time (11:00 p.m. Greece time) in the Tiergarten area, where thousands of people were participating in the Berlin Pride celebrations.

According to the Berlin Police, a white small van entered the event area at high speed, struck numerous people, and then crashed into a tree as the driver attempted to flee.

The perpetrator abandoned the vehicle and escaped on foot. A large-scale search operation is underway to locate him, with a police helicopter also participating.

One Dead and at Least 16 Injured

Police confirmed that one person succumbed to their injuries despite resuscitation efforts at the scene. It was later announced that the victim was a woman.

At the same time, at least 16 other people were injured and more than ten are in serious condition.

Authorities declared a mass casualty incident, and more than 150 rescue personnel are taking part in the emergency response.

A temporary helicopter landing zone was established for the seriously injured, while ambulances transported victims from Tiergarten to the Reichstag area, from where they were airlifted to hospitals.

Berlin Pride Evacuated

Following the incident, the organizers of Christopher Street Day and the police ended the festivities early and evacuated the area in front of the stage at the Brandenburg Gate.

Participants were instructed to leave “calmly and in an orderly manner,” while authorities urged the public to avoid the Victory Column (Siegessäule) and the Tiergarten area.

Earlier that day, thousands of people had taken part in the Berlin Pride march amid an intense heatwave.

Approximately 2,200 police officers were deployed to provide security for the event.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack as a “heinous act” and, according to his spokesperson, has remained in continuous contact with Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and is being kept constantly informed by the security services. The Chancellor and the Interior Minister “thank the emergency services and will work with all their strength to ensure the investigation and prosecution of this appalling act,” the government spokesperson said. Dobrindt has already placed federal agencies at the disposal of the corresponding Berlin authorities.

Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU), for his part, described the incident as “an attack on our free and open society.” After what had been a peaceful celebration, the gathering was “attacked in the most brutal way,” Wegner added. He assured the public that all necessary security measures had been taken to protect the event but emphasized that “there is never 100% security.”