Five friends, all under the age of 21, were killed in a car crash Friday after a driver ran a red light and slammed into their vehicle in Minneapolis, authorities said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moments before the crash, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper saw the speeding driver on Interstate 35, but the driver exited the highway before the trooper could issue a traffic stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe vehicle then proceeded through a red light at the intersection of [Lake Street and 2nd Avenue] and crashed into another vehicle occupied by four adult females and one juvenile female,\u201d the Minneapolis Police Department said in a news release sent to USA TODAY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minneapolis police, who responded to the crash at about 10:12 p.m. local time, said an adult male exited the vehicle and fled the scene but was later taken into custody and transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center for medical evaluation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver is still at the hospital and has not been formally arrested, booked, or charged, Minneapolis police said in a statement to USA TODAY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The five victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Metro Transit Police and the Minneapolis Fire Department also responded to the location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner<\/u><\/a> identified the victims as Salma Mohamed Abdikadir<\/u><\/a>, 20, Sahra Liban Gesaade<\/u><\/a>, 20, Sagal Burhaan Hersi<\/u><\/a>, 19, Siham Adan Odhowa<\/u><\/a>, 19, and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali<\/u><\/a>, 17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The five were out together Friday night and had a friend’s wedding on Saturday, CBS Minnesota reported<\/u><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ali had just graduated from Edina High School and was planning to attend the University of Minnesota, Gesaade was about to start her junior year at the U of M Rochester, Abdikadir attended Normandale College, Odhowa attended the U of M and Hersi attended Minneapolis College, the station reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Dar Al Farooq Center, a Muslim faith-based non-profit in Minnesota, set up a LaunchGood<\/u><\/a> to raise funds for their families. The non-profit has raised more than $364,000 as of Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have lost five of our bright, young sisters in a severe car accident,\u201d the Dar Al Farooq Center<\/u><\/a> said in a statement on Facebook Saturday. \u201cThese young Muslim sisters were shining stars of hope for our future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n