One person died and 17 others were hurt when a car driven by a suspected Islamist extremist slammed into the crowd during Berlin's Christopher Street Day Pride celebration on Saturday night, Berlin police said.

Officials added on Sunday morning that several victims had also been injured by stabbing weapons.

The suspected driver has been named as 21-year-old Abdul B., Berlin police said on Sunday, noting he wore a black hoodie and white pants.

A police spokesperson said B. belongs to the city's Islamist scene but remains at large.

"We have now identified a suspected perpetrator. Measures against this suspected perpetrator, who has not yet been arrested, are underway. However, this suspected perpetrator is known to the police as a member of the Islamist scene here in Berlin," the spokesperson told reporters.

Earlier, Berlin police said the event was halted on Saturday night after a vehicle struck several people in the crowd.

"According to our latest information, the vehicle drove into the Tiergarten around 10 p.m., injuring several people in the process, and then came to a standstill after hitting a tree here in the Tiergarten," a police spokesperson said.

"It was empty, which is why we are currently working intensively to track down the perpetrator or perpetrators."

Bild reported a witness account of a white van speeding into the crowd before a man exited and fled on foot.

Police said officers and rescue teams responded immediately and launched a manhunt for the suspect.

Emergency crews treated the wounded at the scene, with reports of numerous injuries including several that were life-threatening.

Of the 17 wounded, eight had serious injuries and three were in life-threatening condition, according to a fire brigade spokesperson.

Thousands gather for one of Europe's largest Pride events

Hundreds of thousands had gathered peacefully in the German capital for the annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe's largest Pride events, before the incident forced the festivities to end.

"It's one of the worst days for the queer community, and a day I personally hoped I'd never have to experience. I'm shocked," said Julian Methig, who attended the event.

Christopher Street Day draws hundreds of thousands of people to the German capital each year. The event commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York and combines a parade with political demands for equality, inclusion and protection against discrimination.

First held in West Berlin in 1979, the CSD has grown from a small demonstration into a major fixture of the city's cultural and political calendar. The parade is the centerpiece of the CSD, but it is accompanied by a wide range of political, cultural and party events held across the city.