SPD chief fires official who made ‘limited’ comments on Jaahnavi Kandula’s death

LOS ANGELES — A Seattle Police Department officer who was caught on body camera video ridiculing an incident in which an officer fatally struck a pedestrian last year has been fired from the force.

SPD Chairwoman Sue Rahr sent an internal email to the department on Wednesday explaining her decision to fire officer Daniel Auderer.

“I know it is unusual for a leader of an entire organization to explain a disciplinary decision,” Rahr wrote. “However, this is an unusual circumstance, so I believe I owe it to all of you to do so. This case has been widely covered in public, has received international media and diplomatic attention, and I am confident that everyone in this organization has had the opportunity to learn about the case and hear the words of the officer himself.”

“I want to share the outcome of this case with all of you because the far-reaching consequences of the officer’s actions impact all of us, not just the Seattle Police Department, but the law enforcement profession,” Rahr wrote.

RELATED: Seattle cop caught laughing on bodycam after collision that killed graduate student

Rahr wrote that the case involved an “extremely difficult” decision about how to fairly balance intent and impact. She said she considered the following factors in making her decision:

• The incident began with the tragic death of a promising young college student and the indescribable grief of her family, loved ones and homeland.
• As he left the crime scene, the officer in question had a conversation, which he had planned to be private, with a colleague and described it as “gallows humor.”
• Gallows humor is a common coping behavior among people who regularly experience traumatic events. Most of us in the police force have exhibited gallows humor from time to time.
• Because his conversation was recorded by his body-worn video (BWV) camera, it was provided to the King County District Attorney’s Office as part of the capital death proceedings and was thus part of the public records that both SPD and King County were required to produce in response to public requests.
• The purpose of the BWV is to provide the public with insight into the actions of police officers that may take place outside the general public’s view. This level of transparency is critical to building trust.
• BWV is, in most cases, evidence of good police work and gives the public a sense that police officers are competent and trustworthy. We use BWV to highlight good police work and refute false allegations.
• Conversely, BWV footage has revealed horrific police misconduct across the country over the past decade, sparking outrage across the nation and having a devastating impact on public trust and support for the police.
• For many years, the SPD has taken significant steps to build public trust and support so that officers can work more safely and efficiently.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell sent the following statement to KOMO News on Wednesday regarding Rahr’s decision to fire Auderer:

“Our officers do an incredible job serving our city every day. They are here to protect and serve every member of our community – regardless of age, gender, race or religion.

“Effective policing requires public trust. It cannot be effective if the people it serves have doubts about the motives, conduct, or character of our officers. I support Police Chief Rahr’s decision because it recognizes our values ​​of accountability, continuous improvement, and the public trust our officers need to protect the people of Seattle. The officer’s insensitive comments and behavior caught on tape have damaged the relationship between our Seattle Police Department and the communities our officers try to keep safe – in short, this incident has damaged the public trust we have worked to strengthen since day one of my tenure.

“In collaboration with Police Chief Rahr, we will continue to work with officers to ensure effective policing based on genuine public trust. We do this by creating a positive culture in our police department, recognizing the good work our officers do every day, being mindful of the accountability process for misconduct, and promoting safety in our city through a community-based, values-based approach.”

Rahr further noted that given the above factors, there is no doubt that Auderer’s “cruel comments and heartless laughter” about Jaahnavi Kandula’s death caused significant pain to the Kandula family. She also said the comments also caused “immeasurable damage” to public trust in police in the Seattle community, across the country and around the world.

SPD sent KOMO News a copy of their disciplinary action report, which you can read below:

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

In the bodycam video, Auderer can be heard talking to his colleague about the investigation of a fatal collision in January 2023. He noted that at the time he did not believe there was a criminal investigation underway.

“I mean, he was going 50 miles an hour. That’s not out of control. That’s not reckless for a trained driver,” Auderer said in the video.

Towards the end of the video, Auderer can also be heard telling his colleague, “Yeah, just write a check,” followed by laughter. He continued, “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway. Her value was limited.”

The Seattle Community Police Commission (CPC) issued a statement following the release of the video, calling the conversation between Auderer and his colleague “heartbreaking and shockingly insensitive.”

Two days after the SPD released the controversial video, Jaahnavi Kandula’s family released a statement expressing their disappointment at the audible laughter and lack of empathy in the video.

“It is truly disturbing and sad to hear the senseless comments made by an SPD officer on the bodycam video of Jaahnavi’s death. Jaahnavi is a beloved daughter and is worth more than every dollar to her mother and family. We firmly believe that every human life is priceless and should not be devalued, especially in the case of a tragic loss.”

BACKGROUND

A Seattle police officer was driving a patrol car on an urgent “priority one” call shortly after 8 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2023, when his vehicle struck the woman near the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street, police said.

Police found the woman with life-threatening injuries and performed CPR before firefighters arrived and took her to Harborview Medical Center, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

The King County Coroner (KCME) identified the woman as Jaahnavi Kandula and determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries.

An SPD spokesperson clarified that the officer responded to the call “with the Seattle Fire Department.” A vigil was held for Kandula in the South Lake Union neighborhood the week of her accident.

Kandula was a doctoral student at Northeastern University in Seattle. The college said she came to Seattle from Bengaluru, India, in 2021 to pursue a Master of Science in information systems in the College of Engineering. Kandula is scheduled to graduate in December 2023.