In response to the tragic death of Jaahnavi Kandula, an Indian student at Northeastern University who lost her life after being hit by a speeding police patrol car in January this year, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Chief of Police Adrian Diaz have released a video statement of apology. The apology came on Sunday, September 17, after intense pressure from the Indian diaspora. It was only a week ago that a disturbing body camera video of a police officer named Daniel Auderer making insensitive remarks about the death went viral, triggering widespread demand for action from authorities.
The statement was reportedly released after an hour-and-a-half-long meeting at the City Hall with representatives of the South Asian communities in Seattle. Expressing condolences, Bruce Harrell said in the video statement, “Many comments we have made do not adequately reflect the sympathy, empathy, and condolences we have for the family. I want to make sure that our apologies are felt by your community and your family.”
Meanwhile, Chief of Police Adrian Diaz, who was also present at the City Hall meeting said in the video that he has spoken to the family of the deceased. “I have talked with the brother and the family and we will continue to listen. We are committed to listening and standing with the community. We want to figure out ways to ensure that this will never be repeated. We will ensure to value human lives and never dehumanise them,” he added.
A rally was also organised on Sunday at the scene of the accident by several other people, who carried placards with demands for justice.
Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, a native of Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, was struck and killed by police officer Kevin Dave's overspeeding vehicle on January 23, 2023, while he was responding to a distress call. According to a body camera video that was released on September 11, another officer, Daniel Auderer, made inappropriate remarks and laughed about the tragic incident while speaking with Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild (SPOG). According to reports, Daniel was assigned to investigate whether Kevin Dave was under the influence of drugs on the day of the accident. Daniel was heard saying "She is dead," referring to the Indian student as just "a regular person," and laughing as he said, "Yeah, just write a cheque. Eleven Thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”
Following the public outcry following the release of the body camera footage, Divest SPD, a police watchdog organisation based in Seattle, alleged that Auderer has been named in 18 investigations by the Office of Public Accountability (OPA) in Seattle since 2014, including for having illegally stopped, and violently arrested two Mexican immigrants in 2010.
Global outrage over Auderer's remarks led to calls for action against him, drawing widespread attention and renewed discussions about police conduct and accountability in the United States.
Following her tragic death, Northeastern University, where Jaahnavi Kandula was pursuing her studies, has decided to posthumously confer her with a degree and present it to her family.