Chaos and panic erupted in Berlin on Saturday night, July 25, 2026, when a white minivan plowed into a crowd celebrating Christopher Street Day — Germany’s largest LGBTQIA+ Pride event — in the city’s Tiergarten park. The attack killed one woman and left 16 people injured, eight of them seriously. The driver abandoned the vehicle after it struck a tree and fled the scene.
Suspect Identified, Still at Large
A police spokesperson confirmed that authorities have identified the suspect as a man known to law enforcement and linked to the Islamist milieu in Berlin. He remains at large, and a major manhunt is underway involving Germany’s elite counter-terrorism unit GSG 9 and aerial surveillance units. Police emphasized that no arrests related to the attack have been made — contrary to early, unconfirmed reports circulating on social media and in some German media outlets. Those arrests depicted in viral videos were connected to unrelated incidents during the day’s festivities.
Violence Escalates Amid Celebration
The incident occurred around 10:15 p.m. local time, as thousands gathered for the annual Christopher Street Day parade — a cornerstone event for LGBTQIA+ rights in Europe. Eyewitnesses told the newspaper BILD that the suspect was holding a sharp object, possibly a knife, which he brandished toward the crowd before driving into it. Some witnesses reported seeing people with stab wounds, though official medical reports have not yet confirmed this detail.
Political Response
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack as a “heinous act” and is in close contact with Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. Security agencies are providing him with continuous updates as the investigation intensifies.