The man busted for the hit-and-run crash that killed 5 younger girls preparing for a marriage in Minnesota is the son of a fiery Black Lives Matter protest leader-turned-politician — who was finally booted by the Democrats over his stunning historical past of home violence arrests.
Derrick Thompson, 27 — the son of ex-state rep. John Thompson — was busted on suspicion of homicide Monday over the horrifying caught-on-camera crash that killed Sabiriin Ali, 17, Sahra Gesaade, 20, Salma Abdikadir, 20, Sagal Hersi, 19, and Siham Adam, 19.
He already has a protracted historical past of convictions — together with a felony from an earlier hit-and-run crash in California in 2018 that left a girl in a coma for a number of weeks, in accordance with stories from the time.
Cops discovered greater than 17 kilos of marijuana and over $20,000 in money in his automobile on the time, KEYT News had famous.
He was sentenced to eight years in jail in 2020 — however was launched earlier this yr because of time served and good conduct, KSTP-TV mentioned.
Thompson additionally has a slew of convictions in Minnesota, together with for possession of medication and weapons, fleeing police and giving a false identify, in accordance with data obtained by the Pioneer Press.
His driver’s license was finally revoked — however reinstated on June 7, lower than two weeks earlier than Friday’s lethal crash.
Thompson’s dad was till just lately Minnesota’s most high-profile state lawmaker — however for all of the unsuitable causes, having been accused of home violence and mendacity about being racially profiled by police.
Ex-state rep. John Thompson grew to become a fiery Black Lives Matter protest chief after Philando Castile — whom he described as his greatest good friend — was shot lifeless throughout a site visitors cease on July 16, 2016.
He was investigated for potential felonies in 2020 — whereas already a Democratic candidate for the state House — for an incendiary protest exterior the home of Minneapolis police union president Bob Kroll.
Activists smashed piñata effigies of Kroll and his spouse, whereas the elder Thompson was caught on digital camera shouting “[Expletive] Hugo” and “You assume we give a [expletive] about burning Hugo down?,” in accordance with WCCO-TV.
John Thompson later apologized, and was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in November 2020, assuming workplace the next January.
Within months, he was mired in controversy after accusing a cop of pulling him over on July 4, 2021, for “driving whereas black” — whereas later admitting it was his fault for driving with out-of-state plates.
Amid outrage at his conduct, a data search by Fox 9 confirmed that John Thompson already had a disturbing historical past of arrests for home violence — many in entrance of younger youngsters.
John Thomspon was busted in 2003 for allegedly hitting his girlfriend within the face in a parking zone as her 5-year-old daughter watched. He pleaded responsible to a decreased cost of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
He allegedly attacked the identical girlfriend practically a yr later — placing his arms round her neck and threatening, “I’ll choke you till you’ll be able to’t breathe anymore,” in accordance with the data.
The politician then started “hitting her within the head, punching her within the face after which he grabbed her and threw her into the kitchen desk, which broke” — seen by her daughter and his two sons.
The girlfriend informed police {that a} day earlier, he had screamed at her, “F–ok you, f–ok your daughter, I hope you each die.” It was not clear if costs adopted.
In September 2009, cops responded to a home violence name involving Thompson and two girls — with the soon-to-be lawmaker allegedly exposing his penis to them and two younger youngsters.
“I’m the person, you’ll be able to all s—- my d–ok,” he mentioned, in accordance with the data. However, costs weren’t filed, the outlet famous.
The elder Thompson was additionally accused of exposing himself in entrance of kids in March 2010, telling his then-girlfriend to “kiss the tip,” in accordance with the paperwork.
She informed cops that the activist additionally grabbed her across the neck whereas threatening, “I’ll choke you till your voice field stops.” Charges had been additionally not filed in that case.
At the time, Thompson’s lawyer, Jordan Kushner, mentioned his consumer “maintains the allegations are false and he was by no means discovered responsible of them in a courtroom.”
He claimed that “the police stories are a product of the marketing campaign to silence an American African man who speaks out towards highly effective and abusive pursuits, and never the product of any effort to uncover reality.”
Still, it sparked an enormous ethics debate within the state House — with a separate grievance additionally filed after Thompson overtly known as one other lawmaker a “racist.”
He was expelled by the native Democratic Party management in September 2021, simply eight months after taking workplace.
“Rep. Thompson’s actions, credible stories of abuse and misconduct, and his failure to take duty stay unacceptable for a member of the Minnesota House,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler mentioned in a joint assertion on the time.
He continued as an unbiased till January this yr, after shedding his re-election bid.
John Thompson has but to remark about his son’s arrest, and couldn’t instantly be reached early Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara launched a press release saying the police division is investigating the discharge of the suspect’s identify in addition to the horrifying video of the crash.
“Both are very regarding,” he mentioned, noting an inside overview might be completed to find out the supply.
With Post wires
