A suspect was shot and killed by police officers in the Spandau district of west Berlin on Sunday evening after charging at them with a knife.The confrontation occurred less than 24 hours after a separate violent attack on Saturday night, in which a woman was killed and at least 29 people were injured when a van was driven into a crowd, accompanied by multiple stabbings near a Berlin Pride gathering.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the violence as a “heinous” attack, declaring that the country would not tolerate the spread of terrorism.On Sunday, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that the suspect in Saturday’s incident had been radicalized, indicating that investigators are treating the event as an “Islamist terror attack.” Authorities identified the suspect as 21-year-old German citizen Abdul Ballout, who was previously known to law enforcement. Ballout had a criminal record involving assault and robbery, and officials confirmed he had previously made unsuccessful attempts to join the Islamic State group.
While police confirmed they are not actively searching for additional suspects, they have not ruled out the possibility of copycat incidents. Consequently, Minister Dobrindt announced that Germany’s national security threat level will be elevated. Following the violence, a public vigil was held at the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Meanwhile, the organizers of Christopher Street Day (CSD)—the official entity behind the Berlin Pride event—issued a statement appealing against political exploitation of the tragedy.
Acknowledging that many participants will suffer lasting psychological impacts from the ordeal, the CSD organizers commended the swift response of emergency services and law enforcement. A spokesperson for the group emphasized that such violent acts are designed to sow division and incite hatred within society, asserting that the organization stands firmly against all forms of violence and will refrain from contributing to unverified speculation surrounding the attack.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/
