India Tribune Newsdesk
Seattle, WA: The city of Seattle has agreed to pay $29 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was struck and killed by a speeding police vehicle in January 2023. The settlement, filed in King County Superior Court earlier this month, brings to a close a case that ignited local, national, and international outrage over police conduct, accountability, and the value placed on civilian lives.
Kandula, a master’s student in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, was crossing a street in the South Lake Union neighborhood when she was hit by a Seattle Police Department SUV driven by Officer Kevin Dave. Dave was responding to a drug overdose call and was traveling at speeds reported between 74 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone. Although his emergency lights were activated, he was only intermittently using his siren at intersections. Dash camera footage later showed Kandula stepping into the roadway, appearing to notice the oncoming vehicle, and attempting to cross before it reached her. The impact threw her more than 100 feet; she later died at Harborview Medical Center from multiple blunt-force injuries.
Originally from Andhra Pradesh, Kandula had come to the United States from Bengaluru on a student exchange program in 2021 and was expected to graduate later that year. Her death prompted grief and anger, particularly within Seattle’s South Asian community, but the case escalated dramatically after body camera footage from another officer surfaced months later. In the recording, Officer Daniel Auderer was heard laughing and making remarks that appeared to trivialize Kandula’s death, suggesting the city should “just write a check” and stating that her life had “limited value.” The comments drew widespread condemnation, protests, and diplomatic concern from India.
A civilian watchdog investigation later concluded that Auderer’s remarks severely damaged public trust in the police department. He was fired following disciplinary proceedings, though he has since sued the city for wrongful termination, claiming his comments were taken out of context and intended as criticism of how city attorneys might handle such cases. Kevin Dave was also dismissed in January 2025 after the Office of Police Accountability found he had violated multiple department policies. While prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against him, citing insufficient evidence of criminal intent, Dave was cited for negligent driving and fined $5,000.
Of the $29 million settlement, approximately $20 million is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance. City Attorney Erika Evans said the agreement acknowledges the profound loss suffered by Kandula’s family and expressed hope that it would bring some measure of closure. The lawsuit alleged that Kandula experienced terror, severe emotional distress, and pain before her death.
The settlement stands among the largest in Seattle’s history and comes amid heightened scrutiny of police actions nationwide. While it cannot undo the loss of a young life, the case has become a stark symbol of the consequences of reckless policing and the enduring demand for accountability and respect for every life lost.
