Berlin Pride Attack Suspect Shot Dead by Police After Car-Ramming and Knife Rampage

Abdul Ballout, the suspect in a fatal car-ramming and knife attack near Berlin's Pride festival, was shot and killed by police during a confrontation on Sunday, July 26, 2026, in a suburb of the German capital. Ballout reportedly rushed at officers with a sharp instrument before he was fatally shot. His death followed a nearly 24-hour manhunt after the attack.

The initial incident occurred on Saturday night, July 25, 2026, when a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese descent, Abdul Ballout, allegedly drove a van into a crowd in Tiergarten park, near the Brandenburg Gate, close to the Berlin Pride celebrations. He is also suspected of then attacking people with a machete. The rampage resulted in one death and left 29 people injured.

Authorities have classified the attack as an "Islamist terror attack," noting Ballout's prior criminal record and his alleged affiliation with the Islamist scene in Berlin. Prosecutors indicated that Ballout had previously attempted to join the militant Islamic State group.