Investigation opened after Seattle officer heard joking about pedestrian’s death

A Seattle police responsibility place of job is investigating after an officer used to be recorded on his physique digicam joking over the death of a 23-year-old lady who used to be fatally struck by means of any other officer who used to be responding to a decision.

Graduate pupil Jaahnavi Kandula used to be in a crosswalk the night time of Jan. 23 when an officer struck her together with his patrol SUV, police said. The officer, Kevin Dave, used to be using 74 mph moments ahead of the collision, in line with the Seattle Police Department’s investigation file supplied to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Dave used to be responding as an emergency scientific technician to a “priority 1” emergency name on the time, police said.

Officer Daniel Auderer replied to the scene to guage Dave and made up our minds he didn’t display any indicators of impairment, in line with the investigation file.

In newly launched physique digicam photos, Auderer may also be heard discussing the incident whilst at the telephone in his cruiser.

“He’s going 50 [mph]. That’s not out of control. That’s not reckless for a trained driver,” Auderer mentioned all through the telephone name, which in line with the video’s timestamp passed off on Jan. 24.

The different particular person he’s speaking to can’t be heard all through the decision.

After discussing whether or not she used to be within the crosswalk and the way some distance she used to be thrown, Auderer says, “But she is dead,” and laughs a number of seconds later.

Toward the tip of the two 1/2-minute video, Auderer says, “Yeah, just write a check,” adopted by means of laughter.

“Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway,” he mentioned, misstating Kandula’s age. “She had limited value.”

The Seattle Police Department on Monday launched the photos, announcing the video used to be recognized by means of a division worker who used to be “concerned about the nature of statements heard on that video” and taken it to the manager’s place of job.

Following a evaluation of the video, the manager referred the topic to the police division’s unbiased Office of Police Accountability to resolve “any policy violation that might be implicated,” the police division mentioned in a statement on Monday.

The division launched the video “in the interest of transparency” because of public fear, however mentioned it can’t touch upon its substance pending the of completion of the Office of Police Accountability’s investigation.

“SPD has been in touch with the family of the victim pedestrian and continues to honor their expressed request for privacy,” the dep. mentioned. “As others in the accountability system proceed with their work, we again extend our deepest sympathy for this tragic collision.”

Auderer is vp of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, the police union that represents Seattle officials, in line with the Seattle Community Police Commission, a citizen oversight board.

ABC News didn’t right away obtain a reaction from the Seattle Police Officers Guild or Auderer to a request for remark at the video.

The Seattle Community Police Commission’s co-chairs referred to as the telephone name “heartbreaking and shockingly insensitive.”

“After Detective Auderer is heard confirming that the pedestrian died, he is laughing in response to the person on the other end of the call,” the co-chairs — Rev. Harrier Walden, Rev. Patricia Hunter and Joel Merkel — mentioned in a statement. “He joked that her life was only worth $11,000 and ‘had limited value.'”

In what used to be believed to be a personal dialog, Auderer confirmed “unprofessional and inhumane conduct,” the observation persisted.

Kandula used to be from India and used to be running to earn a grasp’s level in information techniques from Northeastern University’s Seattle campus when she died.

Dave had his patrol SUV’s emergency lighting fixtures and siren on on the time of the collision, police mentioned.

According to the investigation file, a responding officer reported that Dave gave the look to be “visibly shaken” on the scene.

“Lights were on, was chirping the siren as I was headed down. She was in the crosswalk, she saw me, she started running through the crosswalk. Slammed on my brakes. Instead of staying back where she should before crossing, she just zips,” Dave informed the officer, in line with the file.

ABC News didn’t right away obtain a reaction from Dave to a message in the hunt for remark at the case.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is accomplishing a prison evaluation of the incident to make any charging choice. The Office of Police Accountability may be investigating.