Seattle Police Officer Will Not Face Criminal Charges Over Killing of Graduate Student Jaahnavi Kandula

A Seattle police officer will not be facing criminal charges over the killing of graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula while he was driving his cruiser.

On Wednesday, prosecutor Leesa Manion announced the result of an independent investigation into the crash that led to the death of the 23-year-old student. Manion's office said that it will not charge the police officer, Kevin Dave, who fatally struck Kandula in January 2023.

Fatal Collision With Indian Graduate Student

In a statement, Manion said that after they staffed the case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, it was determined that there was a lack of sufficient evidence under Washington state law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The announcement comes nearly 13 months after the graduate student was killed, whose death sparked international condemnation after the publication last summer of inadvertently recorded remarks by a Seattle police union official.

That person was Daniel Auderer, who apparently laughed and downplayed Kandula's death, suggesting that her life had "limited value" and that the city should just write a check, as per the Seattle Times.

The government of India, the victim's home country, demanded an investigation into the matter through its consulate in San Francisco. Manion said that she had spoken with a Kandula family representative on Wednesday and was making additional arrangements to speak with her mother, who was in India.

During a briefing in the afternoon, Manion and senior prosecutors who reviewed Kandula's case explained that there was no evidence that Dave was impaired or driving recklessly. These are the two primary justifications for criminal charges in a fatal crash involving a pedestrian.

She added that there was nothing that showed the police officer was driving with "disregard for the safety of others," despite operating his cruiser at nearly three times the legal speed limit in the area.

No Criminal Charges

Bodycam footage that was released by Seattle Police showed Auderer laughing about the deadly crash before dismissing the need for an investigation. He was then heard making insensitive comments about Kandula's age and value, according to NDTV.

In September 2023, Auderer was pulled from patrol and reassigned to a "non-operational position" as he faced potential termination pending a disciplinary hearing that was scheduled for Mar. 4. The footage of him discussing the Indian student's death not only fueled the fire but also raised questions about the culture within the Seattle Police.

Local media reported that the primary cause of Kandula's death was the speed of the collision with the police cruiser. Dave's high-speed movement did not give the victim enough time to react, address, and avoid the impending hazard.

A report noted that Dave, during the deadly collision, was responding to a "priority one" call that the Seattle Fire Department requested. It also added that the police officer was responding to a report of a drug overdose.

It was also noted that the law enforcement personnel did not have his siren activated continuously and instead "chirped" his siren at the intersection. A previous statement from the police department added that he also had his emergency lights on, said King5.