Berlin Pride attack leaves city in mourning after suspect shot dead

What was meant to be a night of celebration, with hundreds of thousands of people gathered in central Berlin, turned to tragedy. Behind me is where this suspect rammed their vehicle into a tree after plowing through this crowd of people that were attending Berlin's Pride event. Authorities say after that, he got out of the vehicle and began attacking people with some sort of blade, possibly a machete. The suspect then fled the scene, setting off a nationwide manhunt, before police tracked him down and shot him on Sunday evening. When we approached him, he came towards our officers with a stabbing weapon. He was stopped by our special operations unit using a firearm, and as a result, he died. Authorities said the suspect was well known to police. He had been convicted on several previous charges, including one that carried a prison sentence. But that sentence was suspended. On Sunday, crowds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to mourn and show their defiance. Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed those sentiments and called for unity. We will not allow this poison of terrorism, this poison that threatens our freedom, to continue to spread throughout our society. Regardless of any party political differences of opinion, we will defend the freedom of our society. At small makeshift memorials in the park where the attack took place, people have placed flowers and notes. Some express sorrow, some anger, and some fear. Not just that it could happen again, but that Germany's far right could use this tragedy to further its agenda. Rebecca Collard, Al Jazeera, Berlin.