Tributes to a nine-year-old boy killed in a Christmas market attack

A local fire brigade has paid tribute to a nine-year-old boy killed in an attack at a Christmas market in Germany.

Andre Gleissner died after a car plowed into a crowd of shoppers at a market in Magdeburg on Friday evening, according to the Schöbenstedt Fire Department.

They said in a statement that he was a member of the children’s fire brigade in Varel, which is about an hour’s drive from Magdeburg.

Four women, ages 45, 52, 67, and 75, also died in the attack. The authorities are The suspect is detained in reserve On charges of murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.

“Our thoughts are with Andre’s relatives, who we also want to support during this difficult time,” the fire department statement said.

The Lower Saxony Youth Fire Brigade also paid tribute to the nine-year-old.

“Our condolences go out to his family, friends and everyone who was close to him,” a statement said.

He added: “We stand by them in these difficult times and express our deepest sympathy.”

The attack, which occurred on Friday, injured more than 200 people, some of whom are in critical condition.

The four women who were also killed have not yet been identified.

Police said the car entered the crowded market through the emergency vehicle access lane at around 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Friday.

Eyewitnesses described jumping out of the car’s path, running away, or hiding. Unverified footage circulated on social media showed the car speeding through a pedestrian walkway between the stalls.

The driver then returned to the road and was forced to stop in traffic, where he was arrested, police said.

About 100 police, paramedics 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 grievous bodily harm, police said.

The suspect was identified in local media as Talib Al-Abdul Mohsen, 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 warned last year that the suspect might pose a threat.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had warned the German government about Al-Abdul Mohsen’s extremist views, but had not received any response.