Car driven into crowd at Berlin Pride event kills one
A car was driven into a crowd at a Berlin Pride event, killing one person. The suspect, who has Islamist links, remains at large.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A manhunt in Berlin ended on Sunday evening when police shot and killed the suspect in a deadly attack on a Pride event. The suspect, 21-year-old Abdul Balut, a German citizen of Lebanese descent, was traced to an allotment complex in the western suburb of Spandau. Officers said he advanced on them with a knife and was shot dead by a special operations unit.
The attack took place on Saturday evening at Berlin's Christopher Street Day, the country's biggest Pride celebration, near the Brandenburg Gate. A van was driven into a crowd in Tiergarten Park, killing one woman and injuring 29 people, some critically. After the vehicle crashed, the attacker got out and began stabbing people with what is believed to have been a machete.
Police described the attack as an Islamist terror attack. Balut was known to authorities and had a history of criminal offences, radicalisation, and involvement in Islamist scenes. He had previously tried to join the Islamic State group, attempting to travel to conflict zones. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attack a heinous act and said Islamists have no place in German society. He visited the scene and laid flowers.
The organisers of the Pride event said they did not want the attack to be used for political ends. A vigil was held to remember the victim and show unity against extremism. The German interior minister said the country's threat level would be raised in light of the attack.
Meanwhile, large wildfires continued to burn in France and Spain, forcing more than 300,000 people to leave their homes. In southwest France, flames were reported to be just nine miles from the centre of Bordeaux. Thousands of firefighters and military personnel were deployed to tackle the blazes.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC NEWS | BBC One | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police believe the suspect has Islamist links and a major search is underway. | |||||
| A car was driven into a crowd at a Berlin Pride event, killing one person and injuring 16. | · | ||||
| A suspect was shot and killed by police after a van drove into crowds and a man attacked people with a machete, resulting in one death and 29 injuries. | · | ||||
| Police believe one or more people fled the vehicle after hitting the crowd. | · | · | · | ||
| The suspect had attempted to join ISIS. | · | · | · | ||
| Germany's interior minister said the country's threat level will be raised. | · | · | · | · | |
| Police released the suspect's picture and first name. | · | · | · | · | |
| The public has been warned that the suspect may be armed and dangerous. | · | · | · | · | |
| The suspect used a machete in the attack. | · | · | · | · | |
| The suspect was described as a 21-year-old man with a slim build and black hair, wearing a black hoodie and white trousers. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West provided the most detailed and continuous coverage, including on-the-ground reporting from Joe Inwood. It focused on the emotional impact on the LGBTQ+ community, the manhunt, and the eventual shooting of the suspect. The tone was somber and factual, with a strong emphasis on the suspect's background and the chancellor's response.
- “Once again in Germany a vehicle became a weapon”
- “The fact that this event is now overshadowed and will forever be linked to this day of death and mourning is of course a wound in the heart of the entire community”
- “We will not allow the poison of terrorism to continue to affect our society”
Sky News focused on the police response and the manhunt, with analysis from a police commentator. It highlighted the prompt release of the suspect's image and the warning that he may be armed and dangerous. The coverage also discussed the difficulty of preventing vehicle attacks at events. The tone was analytical and security-focused.
- “I think it's some prompt information from the German authorities. They've already released the picture and, as is common practice, as my understanding, by the German police, a first name and an initial, so Abdul B”
- “This has the hallmarks of other attacks we've seen, but they will be keeping an open mind”
GB News provided a concise summary of the attack, the manhunt, and the chancellor's response. It also included a quote from Pride organisers saying they did not want the attack to be used for political ends. The coverage was brief and straight-to-the-point, with no additional analysis or on-the-ground reporting.
- “The German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz has given an update in the last few hours saying these attacks only want to divide us to not be intimidated”
- “the organisers of the Pride event have said we do not want this deed to be used for political ends”
ITV1's coverage was the first to report the breaking news that the suspect had been shot and killed. It included a detailed description of the attack (van, machete) and the manhunt. The tone was urgent and factual, with a focus on the police operation and the chancellor's visit to the scene.
- “Breaking news, the suspect in the deadly attack at Berlin's Pride Festival has been shot and killed”
- “We're dealing here with a suspected perpetrator who has previously attracted attention due to a high number of criminal offences, radicalisation and belonging to the Islamist scene”
BBC News provided a comprehensive international perspective, including the shooting of the suspect, the attack details, and an expert analysis from the Counter Extremism Project. It also covered the wildfires in France and Spain. The tone was analytical and in-depth, with a focus on the suspect's history of trying to join ISIS and questions about prevention.
- “German police shoot dead the man accused of carrying out a deadly attack on a Berlin pride event”
- “He was known to police and had tried to join the Islamic State group”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.