Seattle reaches $29 million settlement with family of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula killed by US officer

Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old student in the US, was killed by a speeding cop

• Seattle settles $29M with Jaahnavi Kandula's family after fatal police crash.
• Officer Kevin Dave fired, fined $5,000 for negligent driving in Kandula's death
• Officer Auderer fired over bodycam remarks, files wrongful termination lawsuit.

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The city of Seattle has agreed to a $29 million (approximately Rs 262 crore) settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was struck and killed by a police officer while crossing a street in 2023.

Kandula was hit by Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving at speeds up to 74 mph (119 kph) in a 25-mph (40-kph) zone while responding to a drug overdose call. The officer had his emergency lights on and used his siren at intersections.

“Jaahnavi Kandula's death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family,” City Attorney Erika Evans said in a statement Wednesday. “Jaahnavi Kandula's life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community.”

Kandula had been pursuing a master's degree in information systems at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University. Attorneys for her family did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The parties filed a notice of settlement in King County Superior Court last Friday, with the local news outlet PubliCola first reporting the agreement.

Her death sparked public outrage, particularly after a body camera recording from another officer surfaced in which he laughed and suggested Kandula's life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.”

Indian diplomats called for an investigation. A civilian review found that Officer Daniel Auderer, who made the remarks and was a union leader, damaged the police department's reputation and undermined public trust. Auderer was later fired and has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, claiming his comments were meant to criticize attorneys’ likely response to the incident.

The driving officer, Kevin Dave, was also fired, cited for negligent driving, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges, stating they could not prove he deliberately disregarded safety when striking Kandula.

About $20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by the city's insurance.