Suspect arrested in deadly crash in Minneapolis
Minneapolis police confirm Derrick John Thompson, son of former state Rep. John Thompson, has been arrested in connection with a high-speed crash Friday night that killed five young women.
Thompson, 27, was arrested Monday afternoon for probable cause murder.
Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty says she is reviewing the case for a charging decision.
According to state records, a man with the same name and date of birth as Thompson had just gotten his license back on June 7 after it had been revoked.
Court records show Thompson has a prior felony conviction for a 2018 hit-and-run that injured a woman in Montecito, California.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS made numerous attempts to reach the Thompson family for comment. They have yet to respond.
Investigators say around 10:15 p.m. Friday, a driver ran a red light at the intersection of Lake Street and Second Avenue South before crashing into the car with five young women inside.
Police say Thompson got out of the car and ran after the crash, but an officer eventually caught up to him and arrested him.
Thompson had been hospitalized since Friday night with injuries, but is now well enough to be released and taken into custody.
The victims, Salma Abdikadir, Siham Adam, Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade and Sagal Hersi, were between 17 and 20 years old. They were buried Monday afternoon at Garden of Eden Cemetery in Burnsville.
The release of video of the crash is under investigation
Moriarty and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara are speaking in response to a leaked Metro Transit surveillance video circulating online showing the exact moment of the crash.
O’Hara said he doesn’t know who leaked the video, but MPD police and Metro Transit are conducting an internal review.
“I will also review and consider policy changes to limit how MPD members can receive evidentiary video from an outside agency,” O’Hara said in a statement.
Moriarty said in a separate statement that he does not expect the release of the video to affect his office’s consideration of charges in the case.
Stay tuned for 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS as we work to update this breaking story with the latest information.
For related stories: Fatal Crash Minneapolis
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