Berlin police have identified a suspect with links to Islamic circles in the German capital after a car plowed into a crowd at the city’s LGBTQ+ parade on Saturday, killing one person and injuring at least 16.
Berlin police spokesman Florian Nutt told reporters that action was being taken against the suspect and that “our search for this person is in full swing.”
He did not name the suspect, but said he was already known to police and was from Berlin.
“Based on the initial findings of the investigators, we have already identified the suspected perpetrator,” Nath said. “He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin.”
Police said some of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries. Firefighters and ambulances, along with numerous emergency personnel, were on the scene to treat the victims.
Michael Ukas/Photo Alliance via Getty Images 
In a post on X, the police urged everyone to leave the event premises immediately. According to police, the car drove into Tiergarten Park, near the Pride route, hitting several people. Police did not know how many officers were deployed to the scene, but it was “definitely a lot of police”.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner expressed his shock, saying that “after a peaceful and vibrant pride rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin, it was attacked in the most brutal way.”
“This is an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society,” Wegner said. “I have confidence in the police and security agencies who will be working around the clock on the investigation.”
Hundreds of thousands of people descended on Berlin on Saturday to celebrate the Berlin Pride Parade, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day. It is one of the biggest LGBTQ+ festivals in Europe.
Fabian Sommer / Image Alliance via Getty Images 
The Pride event in front of the iconic Brandenburg Gate in the city center was canceled around 10.15pm and the band’s performance on stage was interrupted. People were urged to go home and not drive through Tiergarten Park.
Before the incident, people celebrated peacefully, marching through the city for hours, dancing to loud music and cheering on about 80 fighters participating in the parade.
Julian Mittig, who previously attended the LGBTQ+ party at the Brandenburg Gate, said he just wanted to go to the after-party when he heard from a friend that “something bad had happened there and that there were a lot of fire engines, ambulances and ambulances”.
He said he went to the Tiergarten and was shocked that something like this could happen on a Berlin parade.
“It’s a dark day for the community,” he said.