Berlin latest: One dead after vehicle hits Pride event crowd with huge manhunt for suspect

Berlin latest: One dead after vehicle hits Pride event crowd with huge manhunt for suspect Berlin police says a major manhunt is underway after a white minivan ploughed into a crowd of people in the Tiergarten park around 10pm on Saturday night One person has died and 16 more have been injured after a vehicle drove into the crowd during a Pride event in Berlin, with the suspect fleeing the scene. At around 10pm on Saturday night, a white minivan drove at speed into a group of people in the city centre's Tiergarten park during the annual Pride event, also known as Christopher Street Day, Witnesses said they saw a car driving "very quickly" into the crowd and heard screams as people ran. Police spokesman Florian Nath told reporters that witnesses also reported people lying on the ground with stab wounds. Berlin Pride was cancelled with attendees told to “evacuate" immediately. A major manhunt is now underway for a suspect. Police say the individual is a man known to them and is "associated with the Islamist scene". German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to "make sure this horrific act is fully investigated and punished". Key Events If you're just joining us now, catch up with the latest on last night's incident below: - The incident happened at around 10pm local time in Tiergarten Park during Berlin Pride celebrations. Witnesses said the vehicle was travelling at speed before ploughing into pedestrians. - Police have confirmed one person was killed, while 16 others were injured. Three people remain in life-threatening condition, with officers warning the death toll could still rise. - Police spokesman Florian Nath told reporters that witnesses also reported people lying on the ground with stab wounds. - A major manhunt is under way after the driver escaped. More than 2,200 police officers have been deployed across Berlin. - Police say the suspect is known to them and has links to the Islamist scene in Berlin. The incident has not yet been formally classified as terrorism. - Organisers halted the remainder of the Christopher Street Day celebrations, with thousands of attendees evacuated from the area. The manhunt for the suspect is now city-wide with thousands of police taking part. Helicopters are surveying overhead with thermal-image cameras looking for the male. In a statement published on social media, Berlin Police say they have identified a suspect who is a man and was known to police. They describe him as being "associated with the Islamist spectrum". They have not made an arrest or suggested a motive, and a search is still under way. Saturday's incident is the latest in a series of attacks in which vehicles have been driven into crowds across Germany. - Earlier this year, two people were killed and 22 others injured in Leipzig after a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians. - Just weeks before that, two people died and five were seriously hurt in Mannheim when a car drove into a busy pedestrian zone. - In February 2025, two people were killed and at least 30 injured in Munich after a driver targeted a crowd. - The previous December, six people lost their lives when a car was driven into a Christmas market in Magdeburg. - Germany has also experienced similar incidents in recent years. In 2022, a teacher was killed and 14 students were injured after a man drove into a shopping district in Berlin. - In 2020, five people, including a baby, died in a ramming attack in Trier, while a separate attack in Volkmarsen left almost 60 people injured. Thousands of police are searching for the suspect or suspects "in a very large part of central Berlin". German newspaper Welt reported that more than 2,200 police officers had been deployed. Police have been using helicopters and thermal-imaging cameras to track down the suspect or suspects involved in the incident. In a post on X, Polizei Berlin have put out a request for the public to share evidence. They have requested that witnesses send in videos and photos that they personally took for further investigation. Helicopters circle above Berlin and a nearby apartment has been s searched. But a manhunt is still underway for the suspect, who fled the scene after crashing into a tree. The suspect was known to police as a member of the "Islamist scene." Julian Methig, who attended the event, described it as a terrible day. “It’s one of the worst days for the queer community and a day I personally hoped I’d never have to experience ... I’m shocked. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, vowed to punish those responsible. Merz said in a statement that he and the interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, would “push to make sure this horrific act is fully investigated and punished”. Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath says the suspect belongs to the city's "Islamist scene". "Measures against this suspected perpetrator, who has not yet been arrested, are underway," he added. Nath also said that the suspect is known to police and that city-wide searches are ongoing. Among the 16 injured, eight had serious injuries and of those, three were in life-threatening condition, a spokesperson said. One person has died, who is believed to be a woman. Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner said on X "it is an attack on our free and open society. "Berlin is the city of freedom - and our freedom has been attacked in the most horrific way today. "My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends." Police spokesman Florian Nath warned the number of dead may rise overnight. "Several people are severely injured, and we don't know if all will survive the night," he said. Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath said there is currently no information on the motive or suspect, or suspects, available. He said it was also not clear where the vehicle was driven into the Tiergarten park, as the access roads were blocked off for traffic. Emergency services are now reporting 16 injured. Some suffered serious, in some cases life-threatening, injuries. According to witnesses, people were also injured by stab wounds. Police spokesman Florian Nath said that witnesses told emergency services that people with stab wounds were lying on the ground. Berlin Police spokesman Florian Nath confirmed the vehicle was a "small white minivan," adding that it was originally difficult to distinguish due to the amount of damage it had endured. Speaking to reporters during a press release, he added that it is unclear if they are looking for one or more suspects. A major police operation is under way in Berlin's Tiergarten district as police are conducting an urgent manhunt for suspects The British Embassy in Berlin has issued a statement advising Brits to follow instructions from local police. In a post on X, they said: "We are aware of the incident at Berlin CSD this evening. British nationals in the Tiergarten area should follow police instructions. British nationals in need of assistance should call +49 (0) 30 204570." Florian Nath, spokesman for Police Berlin, said "numerous" people were injured, including several with life-threatening injuries. Some are being resuscitated at the scene, according to Nath. Regarding how the people were injured, he said a white car was driven into the Tiergarten and hit several people along the Ahornsteig, a road through the large park. Police are searching for one or several suspects, Nath added. Images from the scene show emeregncy workers flooding the area as crowds have dispersed. According to a police spokeswoman, a helicopter is being used to illuminate the accident site and to search for the fleeing suspect. Local media has also reported a helicopter landing pad is being set up in front of the Reichstag, according to a police officer. Bild is reporting that one person who was initially in critical condition has since died from their injuries while 14 other people are currently receiving medical treatment. The German news site cited police as the source of the casualty figures. An Instagram post from organisers instructed revelers to leave the area "calmly and in an orderly manner." "Please avoid the Victory Column and the Tiergarten. Leave the area in the direction of the main train station," the post read. German news outlet Bild is reporting that a mass casualty incident has been declared after a van drove into crowds “at high speed”. Reports claim more than 40 emergency services personnel descended on the scene following the shocking incident. The paper cited eyewitness reports of a man getting out of the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Berlin police have said they are searching for suspects. Video from the scene shows crowds leaving and ambulances rushing to the scene following the reported attacks on the pride parade in Berlin this evening. A post on X by Berlin Police reads: "We are currently deployed with numerous police forces as well as rescue units from the Berlin Fire Department in the Großer Tiergarten. It is presumed that a vehicle has driven into the Tiergarten here, has struck and injured several people. The injured are currently being treated by rescue personnel. "We are conducting an intensive manhunt for suspects." According to the Tagesspiegel newspaper, the program was interrupted while a Michael Jackson show was underway. The CSD board then took to the stage and announced: "Unfortunately, we have to end the event prematurely due to a difficult situation." The organizers announced on social media: "Please leave the premises calmly and in an orderly manner. Please avoid the Victory Column and the Tiergarten. Leave the premises in the direction of the main train station."