Berliners mourn after a deadly attack near the city’s Pride festival, as public questions grow about how the suspect was able to move freely despite a prior conviction connected to ties with the Islamic State group. Multiple reports say prosecutors had indicated the attacker, later identified in coverage as an individual named Ballout, had previously tried to join or affiliate with IS. In the aftermath, officials and commentators focus on the failure of safeguards and the timeline of how the person remained at large. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is reported as asking how the attack could have been prevented. Prosecutors and other authorities are described as pointing to the suspect’s earlier attempt to join IS, raising scrutiny over the decision-making that allowed the individual to continue moving in public. At the same time, outlets describe the broader atmosphere in Berlin, where mourning follows the attack near Pride-related events, and where questions extend beyond the immediate incident to the effectiveness of threat assessment and legal outcomes. The reports collectively emphasize the public and political demand for clarification as investigations continue.