Family members weep as driver who killed five Somali American women stands trial for drug, gun possession

Family members wept and held each other as video of a car crash that killed five young Somali American women last year was shown in federal court Tuesday.

The video was played during opening statements in the trial for the driver, Derrick Thompson, who struck the women’s car at Lake Street and 2nd Avenue on June 16. Thompson, 28, faces three federal charges: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, felon in possession of a firearm, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Surveillance video of the intersection showed a Cadillac Escalade driven by Thompson ram into the women’s Honda Civic at high speed, engulfing it in a cloud of smoke. Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19; who were described as “pillars” of their community, were killed in the crash.

Sahra’s mother, Fadumo Tingle, said it was very difficult to be in the courtroom.

“We’re handling it,” said Fadumo, who was accompanied by several family members for some of the other women.

The federal trial, which began with jury selection Monday, does not address the women’s deaths, and instead focuses on the drugs and firearm that was found in the Cadillac Escalade, which Thompson rented. Thompson faces murder and vehicular homicide charges in Hennepin County District Court in relation to the women’s deaths.

According to the federal complaint, police found more than 2,000 fentanyl pills, 13 MDMA (ecstasy) pills, about 35 grams of cocaine and a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in Thompson’s car.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Bryan told the jury that they would hear about the crash throughout the trial, but that their job is only to make a decision on the three federal charges.

According to court documents, a state trooper observed the Cadillac Escalade speeding and driving erratically on I-35W north. The trooper’s radar showed the vehicle was traveling 95 mph in a 55 mph zone. The vehicle cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the highway, and then sped through a red light at the Lake Street and 2nd Avenue intersection a little after 10 p.m., killing the group of friends who had just had henna applied in preparation for a wedding the next day.

Opening statements

Prosecutors in their opening statements Tuesday also played body camera footage from police officers who responded to the scene, and showed photos of the drugs and gun that were seized.

“This is a case about an armed drug dealer,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez told the jury.

He warned the jury before showing the video of the crash that it would be “jarring” to watch. The sound of the two cars colliding echoed through the courtroom.

Calhoun-Lopez told the jury that Thompson fled on foot from the scene of the crash, and lied to police officers about what happened. Body camera footage showed Thompson bleeding from the head. When an officer asked if he was hurt, Thompson said the blood was old, and that he had tripped earlier.

“He fled and he lied, because these were his drugs, because this was his gun, and because he knew he was carrying them,” Calhoun-Lopez said.

Calhoun-Lopez also showed the jury text messages they said Thompson sent, and which they say showed his intent to sell the drugs. A picture of what appeared to be drugs on a digital scale being weighed for purchase was also shown. Calhoun-Lopez also said Thompson’s DNA was found on the drugs, the car and the gun.

Matthew Deates, an attorney representing Thompson, said in his opening statements that the gun and drugs belonged to Damarco Thompson, Thompson’s brother.

Prosecutors and the defense say Damarco was a passenger in the vehicle, and that he also fled the scene. Damarco Thompson has not been charged in the case.

Deates said prosecutors zeroed in on Thompson instead of his brother.

“Simply put, the government has tunnel vision,” Deates said.

Deates also argued that Thompson’s DNA could have gotten on the car and the drugs from just being in the car. The colorful wrap that was around the gun is reflective of Damarco Thompson’s “flashy” style, he added. Deates also pointed to a blue hat that was found next to a bag containing the drugs, telling jurors that the hat belonged to Damarco Thompson.

After opening statements concluded, prosecutors began calling witnesses to testify. The jury heard from Minnesota State Trooper Andres Guerra, who observed Thompson speeding on the interstate. Minneapolis police officers Lamandre Wright and Kelly Damon testified about responding to the scene of the crash and speaking with Thompson afterwards.

The jury also heard from forensic scientists who cataloged evidence, a nurse who oversaw Thompson’s care at Hennepin County Medical Center, a woman who lived near the crash site and Thompson’s ex-girlfriend, among other witnesses.

The crash video was played for jurors a second time, and photos of the crumpled Cadillac Escalade were also shown. Some family members held their heads in their hands and cried as the photographs were displayed.

A juror was excused before opening statements began, due to having an anxiety attack. The juror was already identified as an alternate. The trial moved forward with 13 jurors; one of them another alternate.

Testimony is set to continue Wednesday morning.

Murder charges in state court

Thompson was charged last year in Hennepin County District Court with 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide, two counts for each woman. Five of the counts relate to causing the crash, and five relate to fleeing the scene.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office offered Thompson a plea deal in August, proposing to drop five of the charges if he pleaded guilty to the other counts. A few weeks later, the office added new charges against Thompson — five counts of third-degree murder.

Thompson has until his next state court appearance, Nov. 4, to decide if he wants to take the plea deal. If he accepts the  deal, he would face between 32 and 38 years in prison for the state charges. A trial date has been scheduled for February 28, 2025, in the event he rejects the deal.

Fadumo and other family members declined to comment about the plea deal and the additional charges, but said they hope justice will be served.

Thompson has prior convictions for dangerous driving in Minnesota and California, including felony hit-and-run and fleeing a police officer. His Minnesota driver’s license was revoked in 2018 after he was convicted of fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle. It was reinstated in March 2023.

Thompson is the son of former state DFL Representative John Thompson.

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