Tributes to nine-year-old killed in German Christmas market attack
Tributes have been paid to a nine-year-old boy who lost his life in an attack at a German Christmas market.
André Gleissner was killed when a car drove into a crowd of shoppers at the market in Magdeburg on Friday evening, according to the local fire department.
A social media post, reportedly from André’s mother, described him as “my little teddy bear” and said he would “always live in our hearts.”
The attack also claimed the lives of four women, aged 45, 52, 67, and 75. A suspect is currently in pre-trial detention, facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and dangerous bodily harm.
Another tribute came from the fire department in nearby Schöppenstedt. They shared that André was a member of the children’s fire brigade in Warle, located about an hour’s drive from Magdeburg. This youth organization is for children aged six to 12 with an interest in firefighting.
The department expressed their condolences, stating, “Our thoughts are with André’s relatives, and we want to support them during this difficult time.”
The Lower Saxony youth fire brigade also paid their respects to the nine-year-old.
“Our condolences go out to his family, his friends and everyone who was close to him,” it said in a statement.
“We stand by their side in these difficult times and express our deepest sympathy,” it added.
An online fundraiser reportedly set up to raise money for André’s family has received more than €60,000 (£49,900) in donations so far.
The attack on Friday left at least 200 people injured, with some left in a critical condition.
The four women who were also killed have not yet been identified.
The car ploughed into the crowded market via an emergency vehicle access lane about 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Friday, police said.
Eyewitnesses described jumping out of the car’s path, fleeing or hiding. Unverified social media footage showed the vehicle speeding through a pedestrian walkway between stalls.
Police said the driver then returned to the road and was forced to stop in traffic, where he was arrested.
Around 100 police, medics and firefighters attended the scene, according to city officials.
A 50-year-old man has been remanded in custody on suspicion of five counts of murder, multiple attempted murders and dangerous bodily harm, police said.
The suspect has been identified in local media as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi-born psychiatrist who arrived in Germany in 2006.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear but authorities say they believe the driver acted alone.
German authorities are facing questions about security after reports they were warned last year that the suspect could pose a threat.
The Saudi foreign ministry said it warned the German government about al-Abdulmohsen’s extremist views, but received no response.
