US Cop Who Struck And Killed Indian Student Jaahnavi Kandula Won't Face Criminal Charges Due To 'Lack Of Evidence'

The Seattle police officer who killed Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian student last year, won't be criminally charged due to , the prosecutors informed on Wednesday (21 February). 

Kandula was struck and killed by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave when she was crossing a street in Seattle on 23 January. The officer was responding to an overdose call.

In a statement released Wednesday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney said, "Kandula's death is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and across the world."

Also Read: Congress To Contest On 17 Lok Sabha Seats In Uttar Pradesh As Seat-Sharing Pact With SP Finalised

According to a memo issued to the Seattle Police Department, the King County prosecutor’s office noted that Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving 119 kph on a street with a 40 kph speed limit in a police SUV, had his emergency lights on.

Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle.

"It is the responsibility of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to review all available evidence relating to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision death of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubtm" said prosecutor Leesa Manion.

Kandula hailed from Andhra Pradesh and was pursuing a master's degree in information systems from the Northeastern University campus in South Lake Union.

She went to the US in 2021 on a student exchange programme and was due to get her master's degree in December last year.

Officer Daniel Auderer, who is also vice-president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG), was assigned to determine whether Officer Dave was under the influence. 

A video recorded from Auderer's body-cam released by the Seattle Police Department showed him joking about Kandula's death.

Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

He downplayed the gravity of the incident by saying that the city should "write a check" to pay damages to the family of Kandula who "had limited value".

The statement also said that the prosecutor's office also finds the comments made by Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer, recorded on his body-worn video, "appalling and deeply troubling."

Auderer was pulled from patrol in September 2023 and reassigned to a "non-operational position". He could still be fired after the fallout of his insensitive comments captured on bodycam.

Also Read: India's Space Sector Just Got A Major Upgrade With New Liberalised FDI Policy: Here's All You Need To Know