Rights
Human Rights/Free Speech/Media
US: Cop caught on body cam laughing, joking after Indian student dies in accident, probe launched

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 13 Sep 2023, 03:44 am Print

US: Cop caught on body cam laughing, joking after Indian student dies in accident, probe launched Indian Student

Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave in the US fatally hit Indian-origin Jaahnavi Kandula while speeding in January.Photo Courtesy: Saloni vxrse X page

A probe has been launched against Seattle police union leaders in the USA after an officer was recorded on body camera laughing about the killing of an Indian-origin student who was hit by a police vehicle when she was crossing the street.

Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, who was studying in Northeast University, was allegedly killed by a policeman named  Kevin Dave after the police vehicle he was driving hit the victim.

However, the probe is related to a video camera audio in which the cops could be heard laughing and joking about the incident.

The officer on the call is identified as Seattle Police Officers’ Guild Vice President Daniel Auderer. In it, Auderer can be heard speaking to SPOG President Mike Solan, as he talked about the incident where 23-year-old exchange student Jaahnavi Kandula was fatally hit by Officer Kevin Dave, reports Kiro7.

Shortly after saying “she’s dead,” Auderer laughs and says as quoted by Kiro7 “it’s a regular person,” referring to Kandula.

He then says “just write a check -- $11,000, she was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”

Auderer also mentions that Dave was “going 50 [miles an hour],” stating how “that’s not out of control” for a trained driver.

A report released in June showed Dave was actually travelling at 74 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone while responding to a call.

Kandula was a student at Northeast University.