A Seattle police officer is under investigation after he was recorded joking about the death of a woman who was killed by a police car.
The officer, Daniel Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, responded to the scene of the crash on January 23, 2023, in which Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student at Northeastern University, was struck and killed by a police car while crossing the street.
Body-worn camera footage released on September 12, 2023, shows Auderer speaking on the phone to Mike Solan, president of the guild. In the recording, Auderer is heard making light of Kandula’s death.
“She is dead,” Auderer says in the video, before laughing. “No, it’s a regular person. Yeah, just write a check. $11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”
Auderer later said that his comments were taken out of context and that he was trying to make light of a difficult situation. However, many people were outraged by his remarks, which they saw as disrespectful to Kandula and her family.
Kandula’s death was controversial because the police officer who was driving the car that struck her was speeding, and he was not charged with any crimes.
Auderer’s remarks have led to calls for reform within the Seattle Police Department. Some people have called for the department to implement a new policy that prohibits officers from making jokes about people who have been killed by police.
The Seattle Police Department’s investigation into Auderer’s conduct is still ongoing. It is unclear when the investigation will be completed or whether Auderer will face any disciplinary action. However, Auderer has been placed on administrative leave and removed from his position as vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
Impact and reaction
Kandula’s death and Auderer’s remarks have had a significant impact on the Seattle community. Many people are outraged and disgusted by Auderer’s comments. They believe that they show a lack of respect for Kandula and her family, and that they raise serious concerns about the culture of the Seattle Police Department.
Kandula’s family and friends are calling for justice. They have started a petition demanding that Auderer be fired and charged with a crime. They are also calling for the Seattle Police Department to implement reforms to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The public is also outraged by Auderer’s remarks. Many people have taken to social media to express their anger and disgust. Some people are even calling for the Seattle Police Department to be defunded.
The Seattle Police Department’s investigation into Auderer’s conduct is still ongoing. However, the incident has raised serious concerns about the culture of the Seattle Police Department and the way that officers are trained to respond to traumatic events.
Auderer’s remarks were disrespectful to Kandula and her family, and they showed a lack of empathy for the victims of police violence. The incident has also highlighted the need for reforms to the Seattle Police Department to ensure that officers are held accountable for their actions and that similar incidents are prevented from happening in the future.
The public is watching closely to see how the Seattle Police Department handles this matter. It is important that the department take concrete steps to address the concerns that have been raised and to show that it is committed to accountability and transparency.
I believe that Auderer’s remarks were disrespectful and insensitive. He should be held accountable for his actions. I also believe that the Seattle Police Department needs to implement reforms to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again.