Berlin Pride attack suspect shot dead after police confrontation

German police have shot dead the 21-year-old suspect accused of carrying out a deadly vehicle attack near Berlin's Christopher Street Day celebrations, bringing an end to a nationwide manhunt less than 24 hours after the violence shocked the country.

Authorities said officers tracked the suspect to an allotment garden complex in Berlin's Spandau district on Sunday evening. According to police, he charged at officers while armed with a bladed weapon, prompting them to open fire.

Despite emergency efforts by paramedics, the suspect died at the scene.

The attack unfolded around 10 p.m. on Saturday in Tiergarten Park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, where thousands had gathered for one of Europe's largest annual LGBTQ Pride celebrations. Investigators said a minivan was driven into pedestrians before the attacker allegedly assaulted additional victims with a knife.

Officials confirmed that one person was killed and 29 others were injured, several of them critically.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as an Islamist terrorist attack, saying investigators believe all available evidence points to religious extremism as the motive.

Earlier on Sunday, authorities identified the suspect as Abdul B, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese descent. According to Dobrindt, the suspect had previously come to the attention of security agencies because of repeated criminal offences, radicalisation and links to Islamist circles.

Security officials disclosed that he had recently been released from juvenile detention and had previously been convicted of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state. He was also reportedly known to domestic intelligence services as one of hundreds of individuals considered potentially dangerous.

The latest attack has intensified Germany's debate over national security, immigration and efforts to combat violent extremism, coming amid a series of vehicle-ramming incidents that have shaken the country in recent years.

Addressing mourners ahead of a memorial service at Berlin's St. Mary's Church, Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged a firm response while urging Germans not to allow terrorism to undermine the country's democratic values.

"We will defend the freedom, openness, and liberal spirit of our lives and our society with everything we can do," Merz said.

Thousands of residents gathered at Brandenburg Gate for a candlelight vigil, many carrying rainbow flags in solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Flowers and candles were also placed near the attack site in Tiergarten as mourners paid tribute to the victim.

The tragedy also reignited political calls for tougher action against Islamist extremism. Politicians across party lines demanded stronger security measures, with Green Party lawmaker Omid Nouripour urging Germany to stand firmly against "murderous Islamism," while CDU figures called for stricter action against extremist sympathisers.

The incident is the latest in a string of deadly vehicle attacks that have struck Germany over the past decade, including the 2016 Berlin Christmas Market attack, the 2024 Magdeburg Christmas Market tragedy, and attacks in Munich, Mannheim and Leipzig. Each incident has fuelled renewed scrutiny of public safety policies and counterterrorism measures.

With regional elections approaching, the Berlin attack is expected to further intensify political debate over security, immigration and the handling of individuals identified as potential extremist threats.