Jaahnavi Kandula tragedy: Cop jokes about horrifying death of young Indian-origin student
In an absolutely chilling revelation that’s now public, a Seattle police officer was caught on bodycam footage making disgraceful jokes about the tragic death of Jaahnavi Kandula, an Indian-origin student. The video, released by the Seattle Police Department, exposes officer Daniel Auderer making shocking comments, claiming Kandula had “limited value” and suggesting that the city should “just write an $11,000 check.”
Unearthing the Chilling Footage
Auderer, who is also the vice president of the Seattle Police Guild, is heard saying Jaahnavi Kandula was of “limited value” because she was 26, even though he misstated her age. The degrading comments were made as he seemed to dismiss the severity of the situation. He also said that the colleague who struck Jaahnavi Kandula with a police car, Officer Kevin Dave, was not driving recklessly because “50 mph is not out of control for a trained driver.” However, reports indicate that Dave was actually driving at 74 mph in a 25-mph zone during a “high-priority” call.
Community Outrage and Official Responses
The Seattle Community Police Commission (CPC) was quick to express their horror and condemnation of the incident, calling Auderer’s conversation with his colleague “heartbreaking and shockingly insensitive.” The CPC insisted that Seattle deserves a more trustworthy police force. On the other hand, the Seattle Police Department has announced that an investigation into the matter is underway, led by the Police Accountability Office.
Who was Jaahnavi Kandula?
Jaahnavi Kandula, originally from Andhra Pradesh, had moved to Seattle in 2021 to pursue a Master of Science in Information Systems at the College of Engineering. She was set to graduate in December 2023. Sadly, her life was abruptly cut short when a speeding police patrol ran her over at the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street. She was later pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center due to injuries sustained in the accident.