White Vehicle Strikes Crowd Near Brandenburg Gate
One person was killed after a vehicle drove into a crowd near Berlin’s Pride celebrations on Saturday evening.
At least 17 other people were injured in the incident. Eight suffered serious injuries, while three remained in life-threatening condition.
The attack occurred at around 10pm local time inside Berlin’s central Tiergarten park. The location is close to the Brandenburg Gate and the route used for the annual Pride parade.
Police said the vehicle entered the park and struck several people before crashing into a tree.
The vehicle was described as white. Initial reports suggested it could have been a van, minivan or similar vehicle.
Emergency teams found the vehicle empty when they reached the scene. Witnesses reportedly saw a man leave the vehicle and escape on foot.
A large number of police officers, firefighters and medical teams were deployed to the area.
Emergency workers treated victims at the scene before transporting them to nearby hospitals.
Authorities restricted access to the park as investigators searched the vehicle and surrounding areas for evidence.
The remaining Pride celebrations and a planned concert near the Brandenburg Gate were cancelled following the incident.
Police Identify Suspect as Major Manhunt Begins
Berlin police said they had identified a suspected perpetrator but had not arrested him during the initial search.
Authorities described the suspect as a person already known to police through alleged links to Berlin’s Islamist scene.
However, investigators had not confirmed the motive behind the attack.
Police were examining whether the Pride event was deliberately targeted and whether other people helped plan or carry out the incident.
The suspect was considered potentially dangerous. Security forces launched an extensive search across the German capital.
Authorities also examined witness recordings, security camera footage and material recovered from the abandoned vehicle.
Members of the public were asked to provide photographs, videos or information that could help investigators reconstruct the attack.
Police also urged people to avoid Tiergarten while emergency and forensic operations continued.
Berlin officials said investigators were working to establish the suspect’s movements before and after the vehicle entered the park.
Authorities were also trying to determine how the vehicle was obtained and whether weapons or explosive material were involved.
Initial police statements did not confirm that the suspect acted alone.
The incident remained under active investigation, and authorities warned against spreading unverified claims online.
Pride Celebration Ends in Shock and Fear
Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Berlin for Christopher Street Day before the attack.
The annual event is one of Europe’s largest Pride celebrations. It combines a public parade with speeches, cultural activities and political demands for equality and protection from discrimination.
Christopher Street Day commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City, a major event in the modern movement for LGBTQ rights.
Berlin held its first Christopher Street Day march in 1979. It has since developed into a major part of the city’s cultural and political calendar.
The celebrations had remained peaceful before the vehicle entered Tiergarten.
Participants described scenes of panic as emergency workers moved through the crowd and police ordered people away from the area.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the incident as an attack on a free, peaceful and diverse society.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also expressed solidarity with the victims and the LGBTQ community.
Officials promised a full investigation and increased security while the search for the suspect continued.
The incident follows several deadly vehicle attacks in Germany in recent years.
Authorities have previously investigated such cases involving political extremism, personal motives and serious mental health concerns.
Police stressed that the motive in the Berlin incident had not yet been established.
The attack has renewed concerns about security at major public events involving large crowds.
Investigators are expected to release further information after examining forensic evidence and questioning witnesses.
