On Saturday, July 25th, a heinous attack took place during the annual “Pride Parade” in Berlin, Germany. A man drove a van into the crowd and then proceeded to attack people with a machete, resulting in one death and 29 injuries. On Sunday, July 26th, after several hours of pursuit, the police successfully confronted and killed the 21-year-old suspect, Abdul B.
According to CNN, the Berlin police located Abdul B. in a horticultural area in the Spandau district of Berlin after an extensive search on Sunday evening around 6 p.m.
Police reported that when they attempted to apprehend the suspect, he charged at law enforcement officers with a knife, leading the special forces to shoot him. Despite attempts by paramedics to save him on-site, the suspect succumbed to his injuries.
Prior to the attack, the parade had been progressing peacefully. However, following the incident, the event was immediately halted, and authorities swiftly cordoned off the area, commencing a large-scale search operation.
To ensure the safety of the Pride Parade and related activities, Reuters noted that over 2,200 police officers had been deployed since Saturday.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt classified the incident as an “Islamic terrorist attack” on Sunday, July 26th.
Dobrindt revealed that the suspect, who was born in 2005, was a German-Lebanese national with ties to Berlin’s Islamic extremist circles. Records from the German prosecutors indicated that the suspect had attempted to join the extremist group ISIS and had been detained for allegedly preparing to carry out terrorist activities.
Media reports in Germany highlighted that the suspect had previously engaged in a “deradicalization counseling program” but was still in the evaluation phase, having only attended two counseling sessions. Despite appearing cooperative during the counseling, doubts lingered about his genuine willingness to renounce extremist ideologies.
During a memorial event for the victims, Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed outrage over the “appalling” act of violence, characterizing it as an assault on German society and its values of freedom.
Merz emphasized that Germany would not allow terrorism to undermine social cohesion and pledged to rigorously pursue accountability within the bounds of the law.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the brutal attack on what was meant to be a peaceful event promoting inclusivity and freedom, calling it shocking. He extended condolences to the victims and their families, asserting that Berlin, as a city of freedom, would staunchly defend openness and liberty in society.
The Berlin city government also established a crisis hotline to assist in locating missing relatives and friends.
Hospitals reported on Sunday that some of the wounded individuals had been discharged, while those in critical condition were still receiving treatment but were no longer in life-threatening situations.