German authorities launch manhunt for suspect in Berlin Pride attack that killed one and injured dozens

German authorities are conducting an intensive search for Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese heritage, following a violent attack near Berlin’s Pride festival on Saturday evening that resulted in one death and at least 29 injuries. Officials characterize the incident as an act of Islamic terrorism, with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stating that evidence strongly suggests radicalization motivated the assault.

The attack unfolded around 10 p.m. in Berlin’s Tiergarten park when a white van struck pedestrians before colliding with a tree. The suspect then allegedly wielded a machete against multiple victims before fleeing the scene. Among those injured, three sustained life-threatening wounds and eight were classified as seriously hurt, according to Berlin’s fire service.

Ballout, born in Germany, has prior contact with law enforcement due to multiple offenses and alleged connections to the country’s Islamist network, Dobrindt said. The suspect previously received a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months, though authorities did not specify the underlying conviction. Police consider him potentially armed and dangerous.

The violence occurred several hundred yards from Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, though it did not directly target the parade route or closing festivities near the Brandenburg Gate. Festival organizers halted the event following the attack, evacuating attendees from the area.

Despite overnight searches across multiple Berlin locations, including an apartment in the Schöneberg district, police had not apprehended Ballout as of Sunday. The search remains active across the city.