Tributes have been paid to a nine-year-old boy, André Gleissner, who tragically lost his life in an attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany.
André died after a car plowed into a crowd of shoppers at the market on Friday evening, according to the local fire department.
In a heartfelt social media post, believed to be from André's mother, she 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. Authorities have detained a suspect, who is facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and causing dangerous bodily harm.
A tribute was also shared by a fire department in nearby Schöppenstedt, which revealed that nine-year-old André Gleissner had been a member of the children’s fire brigade in Warle, a youth organization for children aged six to 12 with an interest in firefighting. Warle is located about an hour’s drive from Magdeburg.
In a statement, the fire department said: "Our thoughts are with André's relatives, whom we also want to support during this difficult time."
The Lower Saxony youth fire brigade also honored André, saying: "Our condolences go out to his family, his friends, and everyone who was close to him. We stand by their side in these difficult times and express our deepest sympathy."
Meanwhile, an online fundraiser reportedly created to support André’s family has raised more than €60,000 (£49,900) in donations.
The devastating attack on Friday left at least 200 people injured, with several in critical condition. The identities of the four women who also lost their lives have not yet been released.
The car entered the crowded Christmas market through an emergency vehicle access lane around 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Friday, according to police.
Eyewitnesses recounted leaping out of the vehicle’s path, running for safety, or seeking shelter. Unverified social media videos appeared to show the car speeding through a pedestrian walkway between market stalls.
Police stated that the driver later returned to the road but was forced to stop in traffic, where he was apprehended. Approximately 100 police officers, medics, and firefighters responded to the scene, city officials confirmed.
The suspect, a 50-year-old man, has been remanded in custody on charges of five counts of murder, multiple attempted murders, and dangerous bodily harm. Local media have identified him as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi-born psychiatrist who moved to Germany in 2006.
While the motive remains unclear, authorities believe the suspect acted alone. German officials are now facing scrutiny over security measures following claims that they had been warned about the suspect’s potential danger.
The Saudi foreign ministry alleged it had alerted the German government to al-Abdulmohsen’s extremist views last year but did not receive a response.
0 Comments