A car crash in Minnesota killed five Somali-American women
2 min read
Five young women were killed when a speeding US man blew past a state trooper, ran a red light, and slammed into their car in the city of Minneapolis, killing all five. The man had previously served a hit-and-run sentence in a California state prison and had been released earlier this year. He remained in jail on Tuesday, awaiting charges.
On Monday, following his medical evaluation from the crash on Friday, 27-year-old Derrick John Thompson of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, was booked into the Hennepin County Jail. All five girls who were killed were under the age of 20; their names were Salma Abdikadir, Siham Adam, Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade, and Sagal Hersi.
On Monday, the funeral for the five young women took place at the Dar Al-Farooq mosque in Bloomington, where they were active members. The funeral drew thousands of mourners from the area’s sizable Somali American community. Their car was hit as they drove back from a Somali shopping centre, where they had gotten henna done for a friend’s wedding the next day.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has stated that a charging decision is currently being reviewed and would be made as soon as possible. Due to the holiday weekend, prosecutors have until noon on Wednesday to submit their case.
PHOTOS: The scene of a crash involving up to five fatalities in south Minneapolis after a driver fleeing from a State Trooper t-boned another vehicle near Lake St. – Troopers said there were five victims at the scene, just off I-35W, and firefighters later confirmed the victims… pic.twitter.com/C2frQyyQis
— MN CRIME | Police/Fire/EMS (@MN_CRIME) June 17, 2023
“Our community is grieving the loss of the five bright young people whose lives were cut short in a senseless, selfish act of reckless driving,” Moriarity said. “Instead of a happy wedding, these families have to deal with the devastation of this tragedy and the planning of funerals,” the author writes.
According to court documents, Thompson was released from a California prison earlier this year after serving time for his conviction in a hit-and-run that left a woman in Montecito, California, in critical condition in 2018.
He was twice found guilty of evading police in his home state of Minnesota, according to court documents. There is no indication in his case file that he is currently represented by counsel.
According to a statement released by police, the incident that occurred on Friday night began when a state trooper detected a speeding car on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis at around 10 p.m. Before the officer could try a traffic stop, the driver swerved off the highway and smashed into another car, killing all four ladies and the girl inside. Five people were killed instantly.
According to the police, the motorist fled the scene. Before taking Thompson into custody, police conducted a thorough investigation of the area. On Monday, when he was checked out at the hospital, he was taken there and booked.
According to court records in Minnesota, Thompson is the son of John Thompson, a one-term state representative from St. Paul who was a vocal opponent of the police force. After the 2016 shooting death of Philando Castile in St. Paul’s suburbs, the senior Thompson became involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. After a contentious traffic encounter in St. Paul during which he claimed he was racially profiled, and the subsequent loss of his primary race the year prior, the Minnesota House Democrats ousted him from their caucus in 2021 due to renewed charges of domestic abuse against him. There was no easily accessible contact information for the father.
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