The suspect in the bloody bus attack at the gay pride parade in Berlin was shot dead by special forces during a large-scale police operation, security sources reported at 20:15 Bulgarian time on July 26.
After a nearly 24-hour national search, 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin Abdul B. was located and neutralized after he offered armed resistance during an attempt to be detained. The radical actions came after the German Interior Ministry officially declared the incident an Islamist terrorist act earlier today.
Timeline of the bloody attack in Germany
The tragedy unfolded late Saturday evening when a white rented van crashed into pedestrians at high speed in the area of the “Tiergarten“ park, right next to the Brandenburg Gate. The place was crowded due to the closing event of the traditional Pride in Berlin, known as Christopher Street Day.
After the vehicle crashed into a tree, the driver got out and began attacking people with a machete. The attack resulted in:
- One dead: A woman died at the scene despite emergency medical intervention.
- Dozens injured: A total of 29 people have been hospitalized, with several of them in critical condition.
- Event Termination: The celebrations were immediately interrupted, and over 2,200 law enforcement officers cordoned off the city center.
Radical past and large-scale manhunt
The murdered suspect, Abdul B., was born in Germany in 2004 and was well known to the security services. According to official data, he had a long criminal record and was part of the radical Islamist scene in the German capital, having previously attempted to join the terrorist group “Islamic State“. Before the attack, he was serving a suspended sentence, the review of which was appealed by the prosecutor's office.
A wave of outrage swept through the country's political elite. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the incident as a “heinous crime“ and “a direct attack on our open and free society“. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner also condemned the brutal act, saying that the city would not bow to fear and that tolerance would prevail.