Star Tribune
Families, community call for independent investigation of crash that killed 5
Somali Americans grieving the five young women killed by a speeding driver want answers.
Among their questions: Who was responsible for the unauthorized release of the crash video that went viral on social media? Why did the suspect in the crash, Derrick Thompson, have his license reinstated in Minnesota after he was imprisoned for a 2018 hit-and-run in California? What was the involvement of the state trooper who began following Thompson’s rented SUV after it sped past him on Interstate 35W just before the SUV left the interstate and slammed into the women’s car?
“We are asking the governor of the state of Minnesota to create an independent investigation into this case,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Minnesota.
He addressed reporters Monday at Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, flanked by loved ones of the women who died. The victims all had been active members of the mosque and were running errands for a wedding when prosecutors say Thompson’s vehicle struck them the night of June 16, killing them instantly.
Hussein said he wants an investigation independent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Though Minneapolis police are probing the crash video leak, Hussein said he doesn’t have confidence in their ability to do the job given that the Department of Justice recently found the municipal police department had a pattern of civil rights abuses.
Thompson had pleaded guilty in 2020 to a hit-and-run in California that left a tourist with permanent injuries. Thompson received eight years, and was released early, in January, authorities said. In March, he was notified that his driving privileges would be reinstated once he met requirements, according to a state Department of Vehicle Services spokesman. On June 7, Thompson got his Minnesota license.
In addition, the trooper was posted at 46th Street exit but, having been at a stop, never caught up with Thompson speeding near 95 mph before he exited onto Lake Street, the charges said. The trooper never activated emergency lights or sirens, according to the complaint.
“There’s just a number of things that with this particular incident seemed to be out of order,” Hussein said. For the family members of the deceased, “this is a pain that they hope will never be brought forward to any family in our state and our country.”
That pain resonated in the voices of the victims’ loved ones, who came together to speak publicly for the first time about Salma Mohamed Abdikadir, 20; Sahra Liban Gesaade, 20; Sagal Burhaan Hersi, 19; Siham Adan Odhowa, 19 and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali, 17.
Wiping away tears, Abdulkani Odhowa paused for a long time. He lowered his eyes.
“Sagal,” he said of his cousin, “was a remarkable young woman known for her kindness and infectious laughter. She possessed a brilliant mind and limitless potential. … Sagal’s spirit was filled with determination and a passion to make a difference in the world.”
Yusra Ali spoke of how Abdikadir was her best friend and like a sister to her. They both taught at the mosque’s Sunday school and had an “unbreakable bond” since 10th grade. She was like the therapist in their friend group, Ali recalled — she thought that’s why Abdikadir was pursuing a psychology degree at St. Paul College.
“She was very attentive to detail when people talked to her and often put others before herself,” Ali said. “She was also very family oriented and put family first, as she always made sure her younger siblings were taken care of.”
Rukia Gessade remembered the love and compassion of her younger sister Sahra Gessade. She majored in health sciences at the University of Minnesota in Rochester and took all the courses to apply for medical school next year with the hope of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
“I remember how you would spend countless hours at your desk, pouring over textbooks and solving complex equations. Your hard work and determination were truly inspiring.”
The Muslim community will feel the loss all the more as they prepare to celebrate Eid al-Adha,
a major holiday, on Wednesday, and gather on the lawn at Dar Al-Farooq, where they came together last week for prayers before the massive funeral.
“I don’t know how joyous it’s going to be for a lot of people,” said Abdulahi Farah, a board member of the mosque.
He explained that since the tragedy, “some of the young people are not eating. Some of them are not sleeping. They want to be awake the whole night. Some of them want to be at the grave site because they’re just like, ‘We want to be close to them.’ “
The message on Eid, he said, will be about supporting one another and making sure they stay connected.
When the Minnesota Supreme Court this week declined to hear an appeal by the University of St. Thomas regarding the environmental impact of its new hockey/basketball arena under construction, neighbor and arena foe Dan Kennedy said the “ethical” thing for the university to do was stop construction until neighbor concerns are addressed.
Not going to happen, university officials said Thursday.
While a public review of a revised Environmental Assessment Worksheet continues through Nov. 7, construction of the 5,000-seat Lee and Penny Anderson Arena continues. In an e-mail Thursday, a university spokesman said the arena is expected to be completed in fall 2025.
“The University of St. Thomas is aware of the Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to deny its petition to appeal and is reviewing the potential impacts of this decision,” an emailed statement from St. Thomas said. “Last week, the City of St. Paul published an updated EAW for public comment, and that process will continue. Construction of the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena will also continue, as permitted by law.”
But Kennedy said he believes that decision is not only wrong, but illegal. Because the state Court of Appeals this summer ruled the project’s first environmental review was inadequate, its site plans and building permits are invalid, said the president of Advocates for Responsible Development.
“We need somebody to specifically tell the University of St. Thomas that they must comply with the law,” Kennedy said. “This is an institution of higher learning, with a law school. They should comply with the law.”
Kennedy said he thought the Minnesota Court of Appeals had insisted on exactly that. In August, the appellate court ordered the city and university to conduct a new Environmental Assessment Worksheet. The previous assessment didn’t do enough to study the arena’s potential harm to the neighborhood’s parking, traffic and air quality, the court ruled.
“The reason why is that more sunlight in the morning time helps reinforce waking up, and having less light in the evening is less stimulation,” he said. “So when we’re winding down, preparing for sleep, having fewer hours of sunlight in the evening can help promote that process of falling asleep.”
Akingbola acknowledges that it can be sad to walk out of work or school when it’s already dark out, but in the long run, standard time is the way to go.
The U.S. already tried daylight savings year round in 1974
Despite the medical advice, there have been calls in recent years to make daylight savings time permanent.
Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, tried to pass a bill as recently as 2021 to make daylight savings time permanent, but it did not pass the Legislature.
The U.S. tried once before. According to Minnesota Star Tribune archives, due to an energy crisis, President Richard Nixon passed a law in January 1974 that made daylight savings a year-round thing.
A month into it, the Minneapolis Tribune ran an article saying there were calls to reverse the decision because there were more accidents in the pre-dawn darkness, particularly involving school children waiting for the bus. Under daylight savings time in January, sunrise wasn’t until well after 8 a.m. in Minnesota.
Karl-Anthony Towns may be in New York City, but his heart is in Minnesota.
On Wednesday night, Towns had some sweet seats for a Billie Eilish show at Madison Square Garden with his partner, Jordyn Woods, when she caught him watching the Timberwolves play the Chicago Bulls in a preseason game on his phone. Her video, posted to her Instagram story, made rounds on social media Thursday.
In the video, flames are literally spewing out from Eilish’s stage, lights are flashing all around and others in the crowd are head bobbing. And there is Towns, holding his phone in both hands and muttering to himself as the Timberwolves are down 88-75 late in the third quarter in a meaningless game.
“I promise he was enjoying the concert,” Woods wrote in the video’s caption.
The Wolves would go on to lose that game, 125-123. A nail-biter.
Towns’ trade to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and others stunned the NBA world and all of Minnesota, where he was a beloved player for nine seasons and a leader on a team rapidly ascending toward championship contention.
“It was a lot of emotions,” Towns said. “Some amazing moments and times in nine years of my life in Minnesota, a place that I’ve called home. Guys who are not just teammates to me but brothers. We were like brothers. It definitely was a wild day, definitely coming to work.”
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