The Seattle Police Officers’ Guild on September 15 came out in defence of its official, who was found making insensitive comments after the death of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula early this year, saying some viral videos of police actions shared by media fail to explain the full story and context.

Kandula, a student at Washington’s Northeastern University, was struck by officer Kevin Dave at a pedestrian crossing on the night of January 23, 2023. He was driving at a speed of more than 119 kmh on the way to a report of a drug overdose call.

In a bodycam footage released on Monday by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

In the video, Mr. Auderer can be heard saying, “Yeah, just write a cheque. $11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.” “The video captures only one side of the conversation. There is much more detail and nuance that has not been made public yet…,” the Seattle Police Officers Guild said in a statement as it also released a letter written by its officer Auderer in which the latter is saying that he intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers.

In the letter dated August 3 to the Office of Police Accountability, Mr. Auderer said he laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and the ridiculousness of how he has watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy.

“At the time I believed the conversation was private and not being recorded. The conversation was also not within the course of my duties,” he wrote in his letter to Gino Betts, director Office of Police Accountability.

“On January 23, 2023 I was dispatched from home to assist with a fatality collision involving a city vehicle,” he said.

“While enroute home I called Mike Solan to give him an update regarding what had occurred. The phone call was inadvertently recorded on my BWV which had turned on. The conversation took place in my patrol car. I was the only occupant. During that phone call Mike Solan stated something to the effect that it was unfortunate that this would turn into lawyers arguing ‘The value of human life.’,” he wrote.

“Mike Solan asked me as he was lamenting the loss of life something similar to: ‘What crazy argument can a lawyer make in something like this? What crazy thing can they come up with.’ I responded with something like: ‘She’s 26 years old, what value is there, who cares.’ I intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers — I was imitating what a lawyer tasked with negotiating the case would be saying and being sarcastic to express that they shouldn’t be coming up with crazy arguments to minimize the payment,” Mr. Auderer wrote.

“I laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and the ridiculousness of how I have watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy. At the time I believed the conversation was private and not being recorded. The conversation was also not within the course of my duties,” he said.

“I understand that without context, the comment could be interpreted as horrifying and crude. Without context, the comment is insensitive to the family of the victim when in reality I was involved in a conversation regarding the callousness of the legal system. At the time I had no idea who the victim was,” he wrote.

Auderer said he does understand that if a citizen were to hear it that they would rightfully believe he was being insensitive to the loss of a human life. “I also understand that if heard it could diminish the trust in the Seattle Police Department and make all of our jobs more difficult. With all of that being said the comment was not made with malice or a hard heart, quite the opposite.

“My intent in requesting rapid adjudication is to be as transparent as possible. I am willing to accept any reasonable discipline our accountability partners and the Chief of Police wish to hand down,” he said.

The Seattle Police Officers’ Guild in its statement said some viral videos of police actions shared by media fail to explain the full story/context.

“This Seattle Police video is an example of that reality. The video captures only one side of the conversation. There is much more detail and nuance that has not been made public yet… SPOG has full confidence that the civilian led police accountability system known as the Office of Police Accountability / OPA will conduct a thorough and fair investigation,” the guild wrote.

Upon being made aware of the existence of this video, Auderer immediately took ownership of his actions and authored a statement requesting that the Director of OPA (Gino Betts) consider the course of “Rapid Adjudication”, the statement read.

“Rapid Adjudication is a disciplinary process that was agreed to by the City of Seattle and the SPOG to expedite police employee misconduct investigations so accountability can be swiftly addressed, and reasonable discipline imposed. This was done by Dan more than 4 weeks before the release of the video,” the guild said.

Meanwhile, an online petition has been launched and signed by thousands of people seeking to terminate mr. Auderer.

“By allowing Auderer to remain in a position where he interacts with the public, we are putting our community at risk. His actions have shown that he does not prioritize public safety nor respect the rights and dignity of individuals under his jurisdiction,” said the online petition on Change.org.

`Auderer was captured on his body camera making a disturbing statement in the moments following the accident, suggesting that Jaahnavi’s life had “limited value.” When the bodycam footage was leaked this week, several petitions were started on Change.org demanding accountability.

“We call upon Mayor Jenny Durkan, City Council members, and other relevant authorities to prioritize the well-being of our community by addressing these issues promptly. We want justice. Jaahnavi is our daughter, our sister,” said Nishtha Raheja Goel who launched the online petition. By Friday night, the petition had more than 6,700 signatures.

The petitioners urge the authorities responsible for overseeing law enforcement personnel decisions in Seattle to immediately terminate Auderer from his position, conduct thorough background checks during recruitment processes, implement stricter accountability measures within law enforcement agencies and provide comprehensive training on empathy, cultural sensitivity, and appropriate behavior towards victims and their families.

“By taking these actions, we can restore trust in our police force and ensure the safety of all residents in Seattle. Let us stand united against those who abuse their power and demand justice for Jaahnavi Kandula and all victims who have suffered due to Daniel Auderer’s actions,” the petition says.

Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant in a statement called for an immediate, independent, public investigation into this outrage.

“Auderer, who is the Vice President of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild (SPOG), a deeply reactionary organization which has fought against every measure of police accountability, should be immediately fired. Mike Solan, the President of SPOG, should also be fired from the Seattle Police Department,” she said.

The OPA has failed to hold police accountable, and our city’s working people need an independently elected community oversight with full powers over the police, including hiring and firing, and policies and procedures.

“Seattle Police officer Auderer cackled in response to the death of Kandula, a young Indian exchange student, after she was run over by officer Dave’s police vehicle, saying her life “had limited value. Auderer’s callous disregard for human life shown in this video is particularly chilling, because he has a publicly funded gun with the authority to use lethal force,” Sawant said.

New Delhi:

The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the young woman who died in the United States in January after being hit by a patrol car, has raised serious questions over the delay in release of bodycam footage in which a Seattle police officer is heard laughing about the horrific incident.

Ms Kandula’s grandfather said the young woman’s parents had been left “deeply distressed” by the video and that it had added to trauma and depression her mother continues to face; “This makes it worse. How can anyone speak like that after a tragic accident?” he asked.

“My daughter brought Jaahnavi up with great difficulty!”

“Why wasn’t this information revealed earlier? We have lost our child… but this is beyond shocking… and how can they say the car was not over-speeding?” he continued. The family is “not in a state to even react to this (the bodycam footage)”, her grandfather added.

READ |India Seeks Probe After US Cops Caught Joking Over Andhra Student’s Death

Meanwhile, Ms Kandula’s family has also released a statement.

“It is truly disturbing and saddening to hear insensible comments on the bodycam video from an SPD officer regarding Jaahnavi’s death. Jaahnavi is a beloved daughter and beyond any dollar value for her mother and family. We firmly believe that every human life is invaluable and should not be belittled, especially during a tragic loss.”

Ms Kandula was a 23-year-old student at Northeastern University, from where she was due to graduate with a degree in information systems in December. According to a Seattle Times report from that day – January 25 – she was hit by a speeding police car while trying to cross a road.

The Bodycam Footage

The footage was released Monday – months after Ms Kandula was killed – with a brief statement that said it had been flagged by Seattle Police Department employee “in the routine course of business” who expressed “concern about the nature of statements heard” on the video.

The SPD said it was releasing the video “recognizing public concern… in the interest of transparency” and that it would not comment further pending the completion of an investigation.

Ms Kandula was not jaywalking – i.e., crossing the road at any point other than a zebra crossing.

In the video, Officer Daniel Auderer can be heard laughing about the incident and declaring there is no need for a criminal investigation against his colleague, Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving.

What Happened To Jaahnavi Kandula?

A SPD report released in June said the patrol car – being driven by Officer Kevin Dave – was travelling at 74 miles per hour (119 km per hour). The inquiry also determined the speed of the vehicle was the main reason for the collision, the Seattle Times said in another report.

The car began braking less than a second before it hit Ms Kandula and was travelling at about 63 miles per hour (101 km per hour) at the time of impact. Ms Kandula was thrown 138 feet.

The speed limit on the street where she was hit was 25 miles per hour, or 40 km per hour.

The officers were responding to a 911 call but, significantly, Ms Kandula “had right of way”; the law states police can exceed speed limits in certain cases but not if that will endanger lives.

US Assures Probe

The United States government has promised a swift but fair investigation into Ms Kandula’s death. This comes after the Indian consulate in San Francisco demanded an inquiry.

Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC

— India in SF (@CGISFO) September 13, 2023

Senior officials of President Joe Biden’s administration have reportedly assured Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s Ambassador to the US, the incident is being taken very seriously.

With input from agencies

New Delhi:

The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the young woman who died in the United States in January after being hit by a patrol car, has raised serious questions over the delay in release of bodycam footage in which a Seattle police officer is heard laughing about the horrific incident.

Ms Kandula’s grandfather said the young woman’s parents had been left “deeply distressed” by the video and that it had added to trauma and depression her mother continues to face; “This makes it worse. How can anyone speak like that after a tragic accident?” he asked.

“My daughter brought Jaahnavi up with great difficulty!”

“Why wasn’t this information revealed earlier? We have lost our child… but this is beyond shocking… and how can they say the car was not over-speeding?” he continued. The family is “not in a state to even react to this (the bodycam footage)”, her grandfather added.

READ |India Seeks Probe After US Cops Caught Joking Over Andhra Student’s Death

Meanwhile, Ms Kandula’s family has also released a statement.

“It is truly disturbing and saddening to hear insensible comments on the bodycam video from an SPD officer regarding Jaahnavi’s death. Jaahnavi is a beloved daughter and beyond any dollar value for her mother and family. We firmly believe that every human life is invaluable and should not be belittled, especially during a tragic loss.”

Ms Kandula was a 23-year-old student at Northeastern University, from where she was due to graduate with a degree in information systems in December. According to a Seattle Times report from that day – January 25 – she was hit by a speeding police car while trying to cross a road.

The Bodycam Footage

The footage was released Monday – months after Ms Kandula was killed – with a brief statement that said it had been flagged by Seattle Police Department employee “in the routine course of business” who expressed “concern about the nature of statements heard” on the video.

The SPD said it was releasing the video “recognizing public concern… in the interest of transparency” and that it would not comment further pending the completion of an investigation.

Ms Kandula was not jaywalking – i.e., crossing the road at any point other than a zebra crossing.

In the video, Officer Daniel Auderer can be heard laughing about the incident and declaring there is no need for a criminal investigation against his colleague, Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving.

What Happened To Jaahnavi Kandula?

A SPD report released in June said the patrol car – being driven by Officer Kevin Dave – was travelling at 74 miles per hour (119 km per hour). The inquiry also determined the speed of the vehicle was the main reason for the collision, the Seattle Times said in another report.

The car began braking less than a second before it hit Ms Kandula and was travelling at about 63 miles per hour (101 km per hour) at the time of impact. Ms Kandula was thrown 138 feet.

The speed limit on the street where she was hit was 25 miles per hour, or 40 km per hour.

The officers were responding to a 911 call but, significantly, Ms Kandula “had right of way”; the law states police can exceed speed limits in certain cases but not if that will endanger lives.

US Assures Probe

The United States government has promised a swift but fair investigation into Ms Kandula’s death. This comes after the Indian consulate in San Francisco demanded an inquiry.

Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC

— India in SF (@CGISFO) September 13, 2023

Senior officials of President Joe Biden’s administration have reportedly assured Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s Ambassador to the US, the incident is being taken very seriously.

With input from agencies

A photo of Jaahnavi Kandula is displayed with flowers, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Seattle, at the intersection where she was killed by a Seattle Police officer driving north while responding to a nearby medical incident.
| Photo Credit: AP

The Biden administration has assured the Indian government of a quick investigation into the death of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle after being struck by a speeding police patrol car and bringing to justice the police officers who were responsible for it.

The U.S. government swung into action after India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu, strongly raised the issue at the highest level in Washington and sought prompt action on the killing of Kandula, and the highly insensitive behaviour of the police officer in Seattle in Washington State.

Kandula was killed in January after she was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave. He was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmph) on the way to a report of an overdose, the Seattle Times newspaper reported on Monday.

In bodycam footage released on Monday by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

U.S. lawmakers and Indian-Americans have expressed outrage over the death of Kandula.

The Biden administration has assured the Indian government of a quick investigation into the incident and bringing to justice the police officers who were responsible for it.

Senior administration officials are believed to have assured the Ambassador and the Indian government that the entire incident has been taken very seriously by them.

They are monitoring its investigation from Washington DC the progress of the case to ensure that there is adequate accountability.

Officials said that they were “shocked” and “horrified” at this incident.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco on Wednesday termed the handling of Kandula’s death as “deeply troubling”.

“We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation and action against those involved in this tragic case,” the mission said in a post on platform X.

“The Consulate & Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities,” it added.

“Jaahnavi Kandula came here for graduate work from India. She was killed on a crosswalk by a speeding police car, and Officer Auderer said her life had “limited value.” I thought of my dad who came here in his 20s. Mr. Auderer, the life of every Indian immigrant has infinite value,” Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said.

“Anyone who thinks that a human life has “limited value” should not be serving in law enforcement,” Mr. Khanna said.

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said: “This is appalling. I hope to see justice for Jaahnavi Kandula’s family and accountability for those involved.” In a letter to the Kandula family, Seattle City Mayor Bruce Harrell said that the comments made by one person do not reflect the feelings of the city or the communities that call it home.

“We recognise that Jaahnavi’s death is a loss for our whole community – the loss of a young woman who had so much life ahead of her to do amazing things and share that joy with loved ones,” Mr. Harrell said in his communication to the Kandula family.

Indian Consul General in San Francisco Ashok Mandula has been in constant touch with the officials from Seattle City and Washington State on this issue.

Expressing his deepest condolences to the Kandula family, Harrell said the “community is heartbroken and mourns alongside your family, friends and everyone who shared the privilege of knowing” her. Expressing condolences on the untimely passing of Kandula, community leader Ajay Bhutoria said her death reminds of the importance of safety and respect for all individuals in the community.

“We are deeply troubled by the unfortunate statement and poor conduct displayed by a Seattle police officer during this incident. Regardless of one’s background or circumstances, every individual deserves dignity, fairness, and compassion,” he said.

Describing this as unacceptable behaviour, Mr. Bhutoria said it is crucial that incidents like these are rigorously examined, and accountability is upheld to maintain community trust in the law enforcement agencies.

“As a community, we must unite to support Jaahnavi’s family and advocate for positive change. We urge authorities to take swift action to address this situation and implement measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future,” Mr. Bhutoria said.

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability said that it has opened an investigation into the incident and they need to complete it before January 29.