Nine-year-old Andre Gleissner named as boy killed in Magdeburg Christmas markets’ attack
The youngest victim who died in the horror German Christmas markets attack has been named as it is revealed police were warned about the accused killer.
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The youngest victim of the horror Christmas markets attack has been named as it was revealed police were previously warned about the Saudi doctor who allegedly rammed his car into a crowd in Germany, killing five people and injuring more than 200 others.
The mother of Andre Gleissner, nine, posted an emotional tribute to her late son on Facebook, saying the innocent child “didn’t do anything to anyone”.
“Let my little teddy bear fly around the world again,” Desiree Gleisner posted.
“Andre didn’t do anything to anyone, he was only with us nine years, why you, I don’t understand.
“Now you are with grandma and grandma in heaven.
“They missed you very much, as much as we miss you here now.
“You will always live in our hearts. I promise you that”.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Andre’s devastated family.
By Sunday afternoon, local time, more than 49,000 euros (A$82,000) had been raised.
It came as German police confirmed they had received previous warnings about the alleged attacker, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen.
The 50-year-old psychiatrist, who lives in Bernberg about 50km south of Magdeburg, had shared extremist views on social media platforms.
Germany’s federal criminal police chief Holger Munch confirmed to German broadcaster ZDF that officers did receive a warning about Abdulmohsen in November last year and an investigation was launched.
He also confirmed that Abdulmohsen held “Islamophobic views” and he had made threats to authorities — work is underway to see if the information received was not investigated thoroughly.
The suspect appeared before a judge on Saturday night and police said in a statement: “The judge ordered the pre-trial detention for five counts of murder, multiple attempted murder and multiple counts of dangerous bodily harm”.
Thousands of people continue to stream into the city centre, located about 150km southwest of Berlin, to view the tragic site which had belongings and rubbish left strewn from the incident removed on Saturday night.
The area where the Christmas markets were held reopened on Sunday afternoon with many people walking through the location where the horror unfolded.
The market stalls remain closed and the city centre continues to be under heavy police guard.
Many people visited St John’s Church opposite the markets on Sunday to leave lit candles, flowers, teddy bears and cards to remember the victims in the horrifying attack, with teenager Sky Winter among them.
Her teacher was at the markets when the brutal attack occurred.
“It’s crazy to know that some people that I know were here and helped them, it’s really crazy,” the 15-year-old said.
Daniela Jofoua, 42, from Magdeburg described the attack as “insane”.
“I can’t find any words to describe how the whole city is feeling right now,” she said.
“We’re all shocked, we’re all sad, we’re all weeping”.
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Originally published as Nine-year-old Andre Gleissner named as boy killed in Magdeburg Christmas markets’ attack
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