Berlin Pride parade attack leaves one dead and 16 injured, police say
Berlin Police say a driver struck crowds near the LGBTQ+ parade route, killing one person, injuring 16 and fleeing the scene.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
One person was killed and 16 others were hurt in a Berlin Pride parade attack on Saturday after a car was allegedly driven into people near the LGBTQ+ celebration route, according to Berlin Police.
Police said the vehicle entered the Tiergarten area, the city’s best-known park, and hit a group of people close to the parade. Officers responded in large numbers and searched for the suspect, who police said had left the scene and remained at large.
What happened at the Berlin Pride parade attack?
According to police, a car was intentionally driven into a crowd near the Pride route in Tiergarten. The event had drawn hundreds of thousands of people and is among Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.
Berlin Police identified the alleged perpetrator as 21-year-old Abdul B. Police also claimed he has ties to Islamic extremist groups. No comment from Abdul B. was reported in the police account.
A police spokesperson said some victims suffered life-threatening injuries. The spokesperson also said some of the people hurt had stab wounds.
Firefighters and paramedics treated victims at the scene. Getty photos from the area showed ambulances and emergency workers after the parade was called off.
How did Berlin officials respond?
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the violence in a statement, saying that after a “peaceful and vibrant pride parade,” the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin had been attacked “in the most brutal manner.”
Wegner also described the incident as “an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society.”
The parade cancellation ended what had been a major public celebration in the German capital. Police did not report that the suspect had been arrested.
The reported details from officials included:
- One person killed.
- Sixteen people injured.
- Some victims with life-threatening injuries, according to a police spokesperson.
- Some victims with stab wounds, according to the same spokesperson.
- The alleged perpetrator identified by police as Abdul B., 21.
- The suspect still at large after fleeing, according to police.
The attack took place near the route of Berlin’s Pride celebration, also known as a Christopher Street Day event. Such events are held to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities and call for equal rights, with Berlin’s parade ranking among the biggest in Europe.
Police did not provide further details on the search for the suspect or the condition of the injured beyond the report that some wounds were life-threatening.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.