Later that evening, Wegner confirmed to German broadcaster rbb that the suspect “had been apprehended.”
“The fact that the Berlin police have the suspect within 24 hours is a major success for the investigating authorities,” he said.
Who Is Abdul Ballout?
Police on Saturday released a photo of the suspect who was originally identified only by his first name and last initial, in compliance with German privacy laws. “Abdul B.” was described as a 21-year-old German-born citizen. Police described him as having a slim build, with black hair, and standing approximately 1.9 meters tall (6-foot-2). He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with white pants, per the police report.
Dobrindt said on Sunday that “the suspect has in the past come to the attention of authorities.”
“He has committed various crimes. He has been radicalized in the past. He belongs to the Islamist scene,” Dobrindt continued.
The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office released additional details Sunday evening, upon taking over the investigations. It said that Ballout had been found guilty of assaulting a victim in a schoolyard in 2019 and of robbing an individual, along with an accomplice, in 2020. He was then convicted of assault and robbery in juvenile court in 2022.
