Hiiraan Online Today from Hiiraan Online: Somali Music Google Plus advertisements Derrick Thompson sentenced to 58 years in crash that killed 5 Somali-American women FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail Thursday July 24, 2025 Derrick Thompson listens to the judge at the beginning of court during his sentencing hearing at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Thursday, July 24, 2025. (Renée Jones Schneider/Star Tribune via AP)MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (HOL) — Derrick Thompson was sentenced Thursday to 58 years and eight months in prison for a 2023 high-speed crash in Minneapolis that killed five Somali American women, a tragedy that devastated one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the United States. Thompson, 29, was convicted last month on five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Hennepin County Judge Carolina Lamas imposed five consecutive sentences totalling 704 months, marking one of the longest vehicular homicide sentences in Minnesota history. Under state guidelines, Thompson is expected to serve approximately 39 years in prison before being eligible for supervised release. The crash occurred on the evening of June 16, 2023, when Thompson sped through a red light in a rented Cadillac Escalade, striking a Honda Civic carrying five women as they returned from wedding preparations. All were killed instantly. A state trooper had clocked Thompson going more than 100 mph on Interstate 35W shortly before the collision. The victims—Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; Siham Odhowa, 19; and Sabiriin Ali, 17—were close friends and relatives preparing to attend a wedding the next day. Some had henna freshly applied. Others had spent the day shopping for dresses. Their deaths shocked Somali Americans nationwide and drew national attention to issues of reckless driving and systemic failure. “These were not just daughters. They were scholars, volunteers, role models,” said Marian Farah, a community leader at Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, where all five women worshipped and volunteered. “What we lost was an entire future generation.” ‘The pain is permanent’ Emotions ran high in the courtroom as family members delivered tearful victim impact statements before sentencing. “We lost our five daughters, but he took us through even more pain,” said Fadumo Tingle, the mother of Sahra Gesaade. “That was like a nightmare. We had to sit through trial after trial. Watch the videos. See the blood of our daughters on the airbags. And then hear him call it an accident.” Sundus Ali, older sister of 17-year-old Sabiriin, told the court: “She was everything to us. Sabiriin wanted to go to college, to make the world better. That hope is gone. That laughter is silence now. This grief is forever.” Many of the women had ambitious plans: Sahra was nearing graduation with a degree in health sciences and had hoped to become a doctor; Salma was studying psychology at St. Paul College; Sabiriin had just completed high school and was preparing for university applications. All five were daughters of Somali immigrants who had fled war and instability to build new lives in the United States. Judge Lamas said the consecutive sentences were justified, citing aggravating factors including Thompson’s extensive criminal history, the extreme speed of the crash, and his failure to render aid. Prosecutors noted that Thompson had previously served prison time in California for a 2018 hit-and-run that left a pedestrian in a coma. In that case, he was released early through a firefighter inmate program. Less than a year later, he was behind the wheel again—this time in Minneapolis. “Vehicles can become weapons when drivers make reckless choices,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a statement following sentencing. “This sentence ensures he cannot cause this type of damage to our community again.” In a presentence investigation report, a probation officer criticized Thompson for continuing to refer to the collision as an “accident,” writing that such language “minimizes the criminality of the conduct.” The officer recommended a sentence exceeding 68 years. Thompson had rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in 32 to 38 years in prison. His defense attorney, Tyler Bliss, had argued for a sentence of 22 to 28 years, citing Thompson’s willingness to eventually plead guilty and his emotional apology in court. “I made a terrible mistake,” Thompson said Thursday, turning to the families. “Please don’t give up on me. Please have mercy.” Thompson faces additional sentencing in September on federal charges stemming from the same crash. Police discovered more than 2,000 fentanyl pills and a loaded handgun in the SUV following the collision. Federal prosecutors have indicated that their sentence may run concurrently with the state term, but no agreement has yet been finalized. The two-pronged legal process, which included a state murder trial and federal narcotics and weapons prosecution, sparked further anguish for the families, who were required to testify twice. Graphic surveillance footage of the crash was played repeatedly during the state trial. The sentencing closed a chapter in a case that has reverberated far beyond Minneapolis. In a city home to one of the largest Somali communities in North America, the deaths became a symbol of vulnerability, loss, and intergenerational trauma. Many Somali parents who had fled civil war decades ago now found themselves burying children who were born and raised in safety. Vigils were held across Minnesota and beyond. Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center organized a series of memorial services and support programs for youth and grieving families. In the weeks after the crash, Somali community leaders called for stronger road safety enforcement and accountability. One year after the tragedy, the University of Minnesota posthumously awarded Sahra Gesaade her bachelor’s degree. Her sister Rukia accepted it on her behalf. “She worked so hard for this moment,” Rukia said. “She wanted to save lives. And now ours are forever changed.” Opinion| Privacy Policy|Sports|Somali Music|Somali Map All Rights Reserved Copyright. © 1999-2025, www.hiiraan.com