Berlin Pride tragedy: German police hunt suspect after van-ramming leaves 1 dead and 16 injured

On Sunday, German authorities reportedly issued a wanted notice for a fleeing suspect following a van rammed into crowds near Berlin’s Pride festival, leaving one person dead and 16 others injured.

Given the gravity of the recent incident, police and prosecutors are seeking help in identifying Abdul B. According to officials, he is believed to have injured several people with a vehicle late Saturday evening.

Today’s official announcement warned the public to avoid direct contact with the suspect saying that he may be heavily armed.

In this connection, police spokesperson Florian Nath said: “The suspect is known to police. He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin and our search for this person is proceeding at full speed.”

The search continued at an apartment in Berlin’s Schoenberg district early hours of Sunday, but police confirmed finding no one inside.

Police officials further confirmed that a white van drove into the Tiergarten park around 10 p.m. and plowed into several people before crashing into a tree.

Meanwhile, the closing party at the Pride festival was ongoing at the Brandenburg Gate after a parade with some 80 trucks that made its way through downtown Berlin in the day.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the incident as an attack on our whole society.

“What an abhorrent act in Berlin, he added that Germany loves freedom and we will preserve and defend that,” he said on social media.