- One killed, 16 injured after vehicle hit Berlin Pride.
- Police launched manhunt, cancelling remaining Berlin Pride celebrations.
- Investigation ongoing; leaders condemned attack, vowing swift justice.
One person was killed and at least 16 others injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd attending Berlin’s annual Pride celebrations late Saturday, prompting a large-scale police operation and the cancellation of the event.
Police said an intensive manhunt was underway for one or more suspects and urged people to stay away from the area around Tiergarten park in central Berlin, where the incident occurred.
Emergency services treated several injured people at the scene, with some reported to be in life-threatening condition.
“We believe that a vehicle entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people and injured them,” Berlin police said in a statement posted on social media.
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Witnesses Describe Chaotic Scene
According to eyewitnesses, a white van sped into a crowd shortly after 10 p.m. local time, triggering panic as people screamed and fled into Tiergarten park.
Local media reported that the vehicle was later found abandoned at the scene.
Images from the area showed a heavy deployment of police officers, firefighters and ambulances, with at least one victim being carried away on a stretcher.
Authorities appealed to members of the public to share any photographs or videos that could assist the investigation.
Organisers cancelled the remainder of the annual Pride event, also known as Christopher Street Day, following the incident.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of people had participated in the parade, one of Germany’s largest celebrations of LGBTQ+ rights.
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German Leaders React
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
“Make sure this horrific act is fully investigated and punished,” he said in a statement.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the incident as “an attack on our free and open-minded society.”
“My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and their friends,” he wrote on social media, adding that he had full confidence in police and security agencies investigating the attack.
Police have not yet disclosed a motive and said the investigation remains ongoing.
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