Derrick Thompson arrested in connection to fatal Minneapolis crash

Thompson has several prior convictions.

Thompson
Derrick John Thompson/Hennepin County Jail

Derrick John Thompson, the son of former DFL state Rep. John Thompson, was booked into Hennepin County Jail Monday afternoon on suspicion of murder, police confirmed.

Police say Thompson was driving 100 mph Friday night in Minneapolis before he t-boned a vehicle carrying five young Somali women, all of whom died at the scene. The victims have been identified as Sabiriin Ali, 17, Sahra Gesaade, 20, Salma Abdikadir, 20, Sagal Hersi, 19, and Siham Adan, 19. Thousands of mourners gathered for their burial Monday.

Thompson has several prior convictions, including multiple convictions for fleeing police and drug possession, according to court records. In 2014, he was charged with committing a crime for the benefit of a gang, but those charges were dismissed.

According to media reports, Thompson was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2020 for a 2018 crash in California that left a woman in a coma. He was fleeing police when he hit a pedestrian and then fled on foot, the reports say.

Metro Transit surveillance video of the Minneapolis crash was leaked to Alpha News reporter Liz Collin, which Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called “very concerning.” O’Hara said his department will conduct an “internal review” along with Metro Transit police to find “the source” of the leak.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office will make a charging decision soon. She also criticized the video leak.

A fundraiser has been started to support the victims’ families.

John Thompson was expelled from the Minnesota House DFL caucus in September 2021 after his alleged history of domestic abuse came to light. He lost his bid for reelection last year.

 

Anthony Gockowski

Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.