«Radicalised» Berlin Pride suspect taken out by armed officers
A radicalised suspect linked to the deadly Berlin Pride attack was shot and killed by police in Spandau after charging at officers with a knife. Authorities say the 21‑year‑old, known to police and tied to Islamist extremism, may have carried out a terror‑motivated assault that left one woman dead and dozens injured.
A 21‑year‑old man linked to the deadly Berlin Pride attack was shot and killed by armed officers during a tense police operation in the quiet, tree‑lined suburb of Spandau on Sunday evening, according to reporting from the BBC.
Police say the suspect — Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with a history of assault and robbery — charged at officers with a knife after they attempted to detain him. He was fatally shot at the scene.
The confrontation came less than 24 hours after a woman was killed and at least 29 people injured when a van ploughed into crowds and multiple people were stabbed near a Berlin Pride event late Saturday. German authorities have described the weekend’s violence as one of the most shocking attacks on LGBTQ+ visibility in recent years.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the spree of violence, vowing that Germany would not bend to extremist intimidation.
«We will not allow this poison of terrorism to spread further in our society», he said, calling the Pride‑night assault «heinous».
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday that Ballout had been radicalised and that the incident was likely an Islamist terror attack. Officials confirmed he had previously attempted — unsuccessfully — to join the so‑called Islamic State group, which is responsible for widespread human rights abuses and deadly extremist violence.
Ballout had been known to police, with convictions for assault and robbery, and investigators are now examining whether Saturday’s Pride attack and Sunday’s confrontation are directly linked.
Authorities in Berlin remain on high alert as forensic teams, counter‑terror specialists and federal investigators work to piece together the suspect’s movements and potential accomplices.
