At least one person was killed and several others injured after a car drove through a park in Berlin during the city’s biggest LGBTQ+ Pride event on Saturday. Police suspect it was a terrorist attack, and a suspect has reportedly been identified.
According to the officials, the incident happened shortly before 10 pm in the Tiergarten, a large park in central Berlin. A search for the person or people responsible was underway after the vehicle was found empty and crashed into a tree.
At least 16 people were injured, some of them with life-threatening injuries.
Berlino, attentato terroristico durante il pride
— Francesca Totolo (@fratotolo2) July 26, 2026
Ieri sera, un uomo a bordo di un furgone ha falciato le persone: dopo essersi schiantato contro un albero, è sceso e ha iniziato ad accoltellare chi gli si parava davanti, per poi darsi alla fuga.
👉 Il ricercato è il 21enne… pic.twitter.com/j2dnaXbGy7
Police identify suspect linked to local Islamic groups
Early Sunday, Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath said officers had identified a suspect. According to Nath, the suspect is a man who was involved with local Islamic groups and was already known to police. He did not reveal the man’s name or give details about the groups he was linked to.
“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,” police spokesman Florian Nath said.
Nath said police had a “strong suspicion” that the incident was an act of terrorism.
He said investigators were now focused on finding the suspect and trying to establish whether he acted alone or as part of an organised group.
Car drove through people leaving Pride event
Nath had earlier said the car “drove through the park and hit several people walking” in an area near the Brandenburg Gate, where the annual Pride celebration was taking place.
It was not immediately clear how the vehicle entered the park. The car did not directly drive into the main Pride parade, Nath said. Instead, it targeted people who were leaving the event.
⚠️🇩🇪 #Berlino
— 𝕊𝕀𝔸𝕋𝔼 𝕊𝔸ℕ𝕋𝕀 (@SiateSanti) July 25, 2026
Almeno un morto e 15 feriti in un attacco con veicoli durante una "Parata dell'Orgoglio #LGBT".
La polizia ha confermato che 15 persone sono state ricoverate in ospedale, diverse delle quali in pericolo di vita.
Preghiamo per tutte le vittime.
Ave Maria…… pic.twitter.com/HZmcxG64Rk
The vehicle, a white passenger car, was later found abandoned after crashing into a tree.
Police were also looking into reports that some victims may have suffered stab wounds in addition to being hit by the vehicle. However, authorities said it was too early to draw any conclusions from those reports.
Local authorities have asked witnesses to come forward and share any photos or videos they may have taken at the scene. Investigators are also examining the wrecked vehicle, which was cordoned off by police.
Pride event cancelled after attack
The rest of Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s biggest Pride celebrations, was cancelled following the incident. The event is named after Christopher Street in New York City, which is closely linked to the Stonewall riots that helped spark the modern gay rights movement.
Hundreds of thousands of people attend the event in Berlin every year. Early Sunday, roads around the suspected attack site remained blocked as a large police presence continued in the area.
Emergency workers had also set up a tent nearby to help witnesses who were distressed after the incident.
Berlin mayor condemns attack
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the incident in a social media post and said his thoughts were with the families of those affected.
“Following a peaceful and vibrant Pride parade, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner,” Wegner said.
“This is an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society.”
Wegner said he trusted the police and security authorities to investigate the attack.
“I have confidence in the police and security authorities, who will be working around the clock to investigate,” he said.
The attack comes after several vehicle attacks in Germany in recent years in which cars or other vehicles were driven into crowds.
The investigation into Saturday’s incident remains underway as police search for the suspect and work to establish what happened and whether anyone else was involved.
