Berlin Police Shoot Dead Suspect in Pride Parade Attack

Berlin police shot and killed a man suspected of orchestrating an attack on Pride Parade participants during a special operation. According to Berlin's Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger, special forces tracked down and neutralized the suspect in a garden shed in the Spandau district.

According to the Berlin prosecutor's press office, the raid on the allotment garden began at around 6:00 pm. The suspect had been hiding in a shed belonging to his father, located within a garden colony — specifically at plot number 46.

Berlin police stated that during the arrest attempt, the man attacked SEK special unit officers with a bladed weapon, prompting officers to open fire. Witnesses reported hearing two volleys of shots fired several minutes apart. Despite emergency resuscitation efforts by firefighters at the scene, the suspect died from his injuries.

The identity of the deceased has not yet been officially disclosed. Earlier, investigators had named 21-year-old German national of Lebanese descent, Abdul Ballout, as the primary suspect in the attack. According to investigators, he was the one who drove a white minivan into a crowd of people dispersing after Saturday evening's Pride Parade.

One woman was killed in the incident, and 29 others were injured, three of whom remain in intensive care. After the vehicle attack, the assailant continued his rampage, attacking pedestrians with a machete before fleeing the scene.

Throughout Sunday, German police detained several individuals, suspecting the attacker may have had accomplices. However, based on the latest statements from law enforcement, this theory has not been confirmed.

Meanwhile, a memorial ceremony for the deceased woman is currently taking place in Berlin, with thousands of residents gathering at Pariser Platz.

Source: novinky.cz