In a significant development, a Seattle police officer who killed Indian student Jahnvi Kandula in January 2023 when his patrol vehicle hit her was fired from the police department, officials said .
Kandula, 23, from Andhra Pradesh, was hit by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave while crossing a street in Seattle on January 23, 2023. He was driving at 74 mph (over 119 km/h) on the way. A report of a drug overdose call.
Kandula fell 100 feet away after being hit by a speeding police patrol vehicle.
According to a report in The Seattle Times on Monday, interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr said she has fired Dave from the Seattle Police Department.
The report, citing an email sent by Rahr to employees, says Dave was fired on Monday by the Seattle Police Accountability Office after violating four department policies.
Rahr said, “I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and was just trying to get to a potential overdose victim as quickly as possible.”
“However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. “His positive intentions do not mitigate the poor judgment that led to the loss of human life and brought disrepute to the Seattle Police Department,” the report said.
The development comes months after another Seattle police officer, Daniel Order, was fired for his insensitive comments and laughter following Kandula’s death.
In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Order was heard laughing after the fatal crash and commented, “Ugh, I think she went over the hood, hit the windshield, and then when she hit the brakes , then flew away from the car..but she is dead.” The department’s disciplinary action report states that after making these comments, Order “laughed loudly for four seconds.”
The orderer’s body-worn camera also captured him saying, “Yeah, just write a check. Just, yes (laughter). 11,000 US dollars. She was 26 years old anyway. Its value was limited.” When asked in an interview with the Office of Police Accountability about his comments that Kandula has “limited value”, Orderer claimed he was “ridiculous of the city attorneys who were charged with prosecuting a potential wrongful death case.” Will be assigned the task of. Rahr had said in an internal email, seen by PTI, that the hurt caused to Kandula’s family by Order’s words “cannot be erased.”
The actions of this individual police officer have shamed the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer that much more difficult. The King County Prosecutor’s Office stated that they would not proceed with criminal charges against Dave. According to Komonews, the Seattle City Attorney issued a US$5,000 traffic violation against him.
The Consulate General of India in Seattle was continuously working with the authorities and law enforcement officials to ensure justice in the case. He is in regular contact with representatives of Kandula’s family and has said that he will continue to provide all possible assistance in ensuring justice for Kandula and his family. The Consulate said it would continue to monitor the progress of the case.
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