One person has died and at least 17 others have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd near Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations, leading to a major police manhunt across the German capital.

The incident happened shortly before 10pm local time on Saturday (25 July) in the Tiergarten, a large park near the Brandenburg Gate, just hours after hundreds of thousands of people had gathered for one of Europe's biggest LGBTQ+ events.

Police said the white vehicle, believed to be either a van or a minibus, left the road, struck multiple pedestrians on a path through the park and eventually came to a halt after crashing into a tree.

When officers reached the scene, the vehicle was empty.

"According to our latest information, the vehicle drove into the Tiergarten around 10 p.m., injuring several people in the process, and then came to a standstill after hitting a tree," a Berlin police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added, "It was empty, which is why we are currently working intensively to track down the perpetrator or perpetrators."

Suspect identified but remains at large

Berlin police later confirmed they had identified a suspect who is known to officers as being part of the city's Islamist scene, although no arrest had been made by Sunday.

A large-scale search involving helicopters and police officers from several German states was launched as investigators attempted to locate the suspect.

Witnesses told German media that a man was seen getting out of the vehicle before fleeing on foot, although police have yet to confirm those reports.

Authorities have not released further details about the suspect or said whether they believe anyone else was involved.

Victims left critically injured

Emergency services rushed to the scene, where paramedics treated victims before transporting them to hospitals across the city.

Berlin Fire Department spokesperson Dominik Pretz said one person had died, while 17 others were injured. Eight people suffered serious injuries, including three who remain in a life-threatening condition.

A temporary helicopter landing site was established near the Reichstag parliament building to speed up the transfer of the most seriously injured patients.

Pride celebrations cut short

The attack brought an abrupt end to what had been a peaceful day of celebration in the German capital.

Christopher Street Day, Germany's equivalent of Pride, commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York and has become one of the country's largest annual demonstrations for LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion.

More than 80 floats and dozens of walking groups had travelled through central Berlin before the event concluded with a rally near the Brandenburg Gate.

This year's parade was held under the slogan "Taking a stand is hot", with organisers saying it reflected growing hostility towards LGBTQ+ people in Germany.

Julian Methig, who attended the event, described the shock felt by those present.

"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."

Leaders condemn 'horrific act'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government would ensure those responsible were brought to justice.

He said he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt would "push to make sure this horrific act is fully investigated and punished".

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the incident as an assault on the city's values.

"Following a peaceful and colourful CSD, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner," he wrote on X.

"Berlin is the city of freedom – and our freedom has today been attacked in the most appalling way. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends."

Germany on alert after recent attacks

The incident comes against the backdrop of a series of deadly vehicle attacks across Germany in recent years.

Earlier this year, two people were killed after a car was driven into a pedestrian area in Leipzig. In 2025, another vehicle attack in Mannheim claimed two lives, while a separate incident in Munich left two people dead and more than 40 injured.

In December 2024, several people were also killed when a vehicle was driven into a Christmas market in Magdeburg.

Saturday's attack is likely to intensify concerns over public safety at major events, particularly as authorities continue to investigate whether it was an act of terrorism.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and urged anyone with information about the suspect to come forward.

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