What we know so far about the Berlin Pride ramming attack

The suspect was identified by the police as Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin.

Authorities said the man was known to police and had committed several crimes. The person, who was previously sentenced to 1 year and 10 months in prison, was commuted to probation.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect had been radicalized.

German media report that he is a supporter of the Islamic State organization (IS) and has tried to join the organization in the past but was unsuccessful.

According to the prosecutor’s office, he tried to go to Mauritania via Türkiye in May 2025 but failed. He then went to Lebanon via Türkiye to go to Syria and join ISIS.

While in Lebanon, he allegedly came into contact with individuals he believed to be members of ISIS, and was later arrested in Lebanon in July 2025 and imprisoned for three months.

After his release, he returned to Berlin in November 2025; where he was arrested at the airport and held in pre-trial detention until May 2026 and ordered to attend a counter-radicalisation programme.

It is believed to be linked to the rental car found abandoned in the park.

In the police statement, it was stated that many people were injured with knife weapons in the attack.