A 21-year-old man drove a vehicle into a Berlin Pride parade on Saturday night, killing one woman and injuring at least 29 others before he was shot dead by police the next day.
Abdul Ballout, a German-born citizen with Lebanese roots, was known to authorities for prior convictions and Islamist extremism. He had shared ISIS propaganda online in 2024 and traveled to Lebanon the following year with the stated aim of joining the group in Syria.
Ballout was convicted in May for preparing a violent act and other charges but received a suspended sentence. After his release, a court ordered him to attend a deradicalization program. Staff at the Violence Prevention Network later determined his cooperation appeared fake and planned to report this to officials.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that authorities must do more to prevent such attacks. The victim was identified as a Polish national. Hundreds gathered at a memorial near the Brandenburg Gate in the hours after the incident.
