Seattle Officer Fired for Mocking Indian Student's Death

Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer has been terminated following insensitive comments and laughter about the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was struck by a police vehicle on January 23, 2023. The incident occurred when Officer Kevin Dave was responding to an emergency call. Bodycam footage captured Auderer laughing and making callous remarks about Kandula's death, leading to public outrage.

Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr announced the decision, emphasizing that Auderer's actions inflicted pain on Kandula's family and brought dishonor to the department. The Office of Police Accountability conducted an investigation and recommended his termination for unprofessional conduct. The decision comes amid ongoing negotiations between the city and the police union for a new contract. Rahr underscored the necessity of maintaining departmental integrity and public trust in her statement about the dismissal.