“Auderer’s dehumanizing laughter more disturbing than the tragic accident itself”
A police officer from the Seattle Police Department has been dismissed following insensitive comments and laughter regarding the tragic death of a 23-year-old Indian student, Jaahnavi Kandula. Kandula was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave on January 23 of the previous year. Dave was traveling at over 119 kmph in response to a drug overdose call when Kandula, crossing the street, was hit and thrown 100 feet.
The incident caused public outrage, further fueled by the release of bodycam footage in which Officer Daniel Auderer was heard laughing after the fatal crash. Auderer made callous remarks about the accident and Kandula’s life, captured on his body-worn camera. He suggested writing a check for USD 11,000 for Kandula’s death, claiming she had “limited value.”
Auderer later attempted to explain his comments during an interview with the Office of Police Accountability, stating that he was mocking the city attorneys responsible for potential wrongful death litigation.
In an internal email, Interim Chief Sue Rahr acknowledged the deep pain inflicted on Kandula’s family and the damage to public trust caused by Auderer’s actions. She emphasized her duty to uphold high standards within the department and announced Auderer’s termination to prevent further dishonor.
Rahr highlighted the difficulty of balancing intent and impact in disciplinary decisions. She noted the widespread public and media attention the case received, including international coverage. Rahr remarked on the significant public reaction, stating that many found Auderer’s dehumanizing laughter more disturbing than the tragic accident itself.
**********************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken a small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, running a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will make a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com