Berlin Pride attack suspect still at large after ramming kills one
German police say 21-year-old Abdul B. may be armed after a Berlin LGBTQ+ Pride ramming left one dead and 16 injured.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
German police are searching for the Berlin Pride attack suspect after a car was driven into crowds at an LGBTQ+ Pride parade on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 16 others, authorities said.
Police have named the wanted man as 21-year-old Abdul B., using only the initial of his surname in line with German privacy rules. Authorities described him as known to police and connected to Berlin’s “Islamist scene,” while saying investigators are still trying to establish a motive.
In a wanted notice issued Sunday, police warned that Abdul B. may be armed and dangerous. They urged members of the public not to approach him directly.
The damaged vehicle remained at the scene Sunday morning, according to authorities. Police have not named the person who died.
What do police know about the Berlin Pride attack suspect?
German police say Abdul B. is 21 and was already known to authorities before Saturday’s attack. Investigators have not said whether they believe he acted by himself, and they have not publicly confirmed a motive.
Authorities are also examining whether more than one person may have left the vehicle after it stopped. Some of the injured people had stab wounds, which police said has raised the possibility that others were involved, though that has not been confirmed.
Berlin’s fire service said three of the injured were in life-threatening condition. Eight others were seriously hurt, and five had lighter injuries.
The attack hit one of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ gatherings after crowds had spent hours celebrating at the Christopher Street Day event near the Brandenburg Gate. The parade featured floats, music and a march before festivities were canceled after the violence.
Julian Miethig, who attended the event, told CBS News it was “a dark day for the community.” He said he had been planning to go to an afterparty when he heard that “something bad happened” at the parade.
Why Germany is debating public safety again
Saturday’s attack has landed in a country already shaken by a run of vehicle attacks, each with different alleged motives, that have intensified arguments over security, immigration and extremism.
In December 2024, six people were killed and hundreds were injured when a car drove into a Christmas market in Magdeburg. Two months later, a woman and her two-year-old daughter were killed when a car struck trade union demonstrators in Munich. In March 2025, two people were killed when a vehicle rammed into a crowd in Mannheim.
Those cases have kept public safety high on Germany’s political agenda and added pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and mainstream parties. CBS News reported that the debate has also helped fuel support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, known as AfD.
Merz called the Berlin ramming “an attack on freedom” and said those responsible would be brought to justice. In a social media post, he called it an “abhorrent act” and wrote that Germany loves freedom and will preserve and defend it.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.