One Killed, 16 Injured in Vehicle Attack Near Berlin Pride Event

One person was killed and at least 16 others were injured after a white van drove into people near Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations on Saturday night, prompting authorities to halt the event.

The incident occurred at around 10 p.m. local time in Berlin's Tiergarten park, near the route used earlier by the Pride march and close to the Brandenburg Gate. Police said the van struck several people before crashing into a tree. Some victims reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police immediately called for people to leave the area as ambulances, firefighters and emergency teams rushed to the scene. The remaining Pride celebrations and a concert near the Brandenburg Gate were called off, with attendees urged to return home and avoid travelling through the park.

Authorities launched an intensive investigation and initially said the motive and identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators were unknown. Police also examined reports that some victims may have suffered stab wounds, though officials cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions.

Latest reports said investigators were searching for a 21-year-old man identified as Abdul B., who was reportedly suspected of links to Islamist circles. Police released his photograph and appealed to the public for information while investigating whether he acted alone.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the incident as a brutal attack on the city's free and cosmopolitan society. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

The attack came as hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Berlin for one of Europe's largest LGBTQ+ celebrations. The parade had proceeded peacefully for hours, featuring music, dancing and around 80 floats.

More than 2,200 police officers had been deployed across Berlin to protect the Pride events. Authorities urged witnesses to provide photographs and videos that could assist the investigation and activated a crisis hotline for people searching for missing friends or relatives.