German police shot and killed a 21-year-old suspect, Abdul Ballout, in connection with a van ramming incident at a Berlin LGBT Pride party on July 25, 2026, which resulted in one death and 29 injuries. Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese descent, was identified as being active in Islamist circles. He was killed during a confrontation in a suburb of Berlin nearly 24 hours after the attack.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. local time when a white van drove into a crowd at Berlin’s Tiergarten park, near the Brandenburg Gate. The attack ended when the vehicle collided with a tree. Following the incident, police reported that one woman was killed, three individuals were in critical condition, eight were seriously injured, and five sustained minor injuries. The driver fled the scene after the collision.
Prior to Ballout's death, police spokesman Florian Nath stated that the suspect was known to authorities and that the investigation was ongoing, although they were unsure of a motive. Police conducted a raid on an apartment in Berlin as part of the manhunt, but no one was found at the location.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous act against a society that values kindness and tolerance. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation and the commitment to defend open and free society.