Minneapolis (Caasimada Online) – Bloomington’s Dar Al Farooq Mosque now mourns the untimely demise of five of its youthful members, extinguishing the hope these bright stars promised for their community’s future.

The victims, Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade, Salma Abdikadir, Sagal Hersi, and Siham Adam, were revered pillars of their faith.

A poignant message appeared on the mosque’s Facebook page early Saturday: “We find ourselves in deep sorrow today; our community has experienced a heartbreaking tragedy.”

A distressing car accident snuffed out the lives of these promising young women in a brutal twist of fate.

The tragedy unfolds

Details provided by the Minneapolis Police outline a harrowing series of events leading to the catastrophic crash.

On a routine patrol, a State Trooper stationed on northbound Interstate 35W near the 46th Street exit observed the suspect’s vehicle speeding down the interstate.

The trooper chose to tail the suspect without engaging the siren or flashing lights, intending to initiate a traffic stop further ahead.

However, the suspect, exiting at Lake Street – a mere two miles from the 46th Street exit, beat the stop. He raced through a red light and collided with the vehicle carrying the five women.

“This wasn’t a pursuit that led to this,” clarified Adam Kennedy, the Minneapolis police public information officer. “The trooper couldn’t get within a distance to initiate a traffic stop. It all happened very quickly.”

The aftermath

This devastating incident happened a little after 10 p.m. at Lake Street and 2nd Avenue intersect.

The driver involved fled the scene but was subsequently arrested in the vicinity and moved to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.

Kennedy described the event as “an immense tragedy,” emphasizing the severity by highlighting the multiple agencies involved in the response.

Rescue and law enforcement units from the Minnesota State Patrol, Minneapolis police, Hennepin County EMS, Metro Transit police, and the Minneapolis Fire Department promptly responded to the crash site.

According to Kennedy, the initial State Trooper was the first to arrive at the scene.

Investigation and support

The ongoing investigation is set to probe the suspect’s speed on the interstate and whether intoxication factored into the crash.

In the meantime, Dar Al Farooq is stepping up to support the grieving families left behind by this tragedy.

In a recent Facebook post, the mosque announced, “We have set up a LaunchGood campaign to raise funds for the affected families. Your generous donation can help ease the burden on these families, no matter how small. Your contributions will be used to cover.”

The campaign intends to fill the void left by this tragedy and mitigate the heartache plaguing the community.