A Seattle police officer has been dismissed following outrage over his insensitive comments and laughter after the tragic death of a 23-year-old Indian student, Jaahnavi Kandula.
Kandula was fatally struck by a speeding police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave on January 23 last year. Dave was responding to a drug overdose call and driving over 119 km/h when he hit Kandula, throwing her 100 feet.
Bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department revealed Officer Daniel Auderer's reaction to the incident. Auderer was heard laughing and making callous remarks about the crash, saying, "Uh, I think she went up on the hood, hit the windshield, and then when he hit the brakes, flew off the car... But she is dead."
Auderer then laughed for several seconds and made further insensitive comments, including suggesting Kandula had "limited value."
In an internal email, Interim Chief Sue Rahr stated that Auderer's comments caused deep pain to Kandula's family and damaged public trust in the police. "The actions of this individual officer have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession," she wrote. Rahr emphasized the need to uphold high standards and decided to terminate Auderer's employment.
Rahr highlighted the difficulty in balancing intent versus impact in this case but concluded that the public trust had been irreparably harmed by Auderer's behavior. She noted the widespread outrage and international attention the case had received.
In February, the King County Prosecutor's Office decided not to pursue criminal charges against Dave, citing insufficient evidence. The Seattle City Attorney issued a $5,000 traffic infraction instead.
Auderer's comments about Kandula's "limited value" and his laughter following the fatal crash were captured on his body-worn camera. He later claimed that he was mocking city attorneys who might handle a potential wrongful death lawsuit. However, this explanation did little to quell the public's anger.
Chief Rahr acknowledged that the comments and laughter were more disturbing to many than the tragic accident itself. She stressed the importance of maintaining public trust in the police and asserted that Auderer's actions were a betrayal of that trust.
Rahr stated, "Our government gives police officers the authority to deprive people of their liberty and, in extreme circumstances, their life. This authority rests on the public's trust that officers will demonstrate respect for the sanctity of human life." She emphasized that Auderer's actions were a severe breach of this trust.
The impact of Auderer's behavior on public perception was so significant that it could not be mitigated, even if he intended his comments to be private. The Seattle Police Department aims to move forward, focusing on restoring the community's trust and upholding their commitment to justice and integrity.
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