Seattle police officer who struck and killed graduate student from India fired

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s interim police chief said Monday that she has fired a police officer who in 2023 struck and killed a graduate student from India while responding to an overdose call.

Interim police chief Sue Rahr, in an email to employees, said she fired Kevin Dave after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability found he had violated four department policies, including one that calls for being responsible for safely operating a patrol vehicle, the Seattle Times reported.

“I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote. “However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of a human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department.”

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A message sent to the Seattle Police Officers Guild, a police union, via the group's website by The Associated Press was not immediately returned. Attempts to reach Dave were not successful.

Rahr's announcement comes nearly a year after King County prosecutors said they would not file felony charges against Dave, citing insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dave was consciously disregarding safety in the crash that killed Jaahnavi Kandula.

The Seattle City Attorney’s Office later issued Dave a $5,000 citation for negligent driving. City prosecutors said Dave was driving as fast as 74 mph (119 kph) on a street with a 25-mph (40 kph) speed limit before striking Kandula. After initially contesting the ticket, Dave recently agreed to pay it, complete an eight-hour traffic safety course within a year and do 40 hours of community service by Sept. 30, records filed in municipal court show.

Kandula’s death ignited outrage, particularly after a recording from another officer’s body-worn camera surfaced, in which that officer laughed and suggested Kandula’s life had “limited value” and the city should “just write a check.” Diplomats from India sought an investigation. The city’s civilian watchdog found the comments by Officer Daniel Auderer, who was a union leader, damaged the department’s reputation and undermined public trust. Auderer was later fired.

Kandula’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and Dave.