Seattle to pay $29 million to the family of Indian student killed by police vehicle in US

Seattle has agreed to pay $29 million (approximately ₹260 crore) to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was fatally struck by a speeding police vehicle in 2023, as per reports.

The settlement was filed last Friday in King County Superior Court. Seattle city attorney Erika Evans reportedly described Kandula's death as “heartbreaking” and expressed hope that the agreement would provide some measure of closure to her family.

Her life mattered to her family, her friends, and the community, said Evans, as per reports.

Kandula, a native of India, was pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at Northeast University Seattle campus at the time of the incident.

​She was crossing a street when she was hit by a patrol car driven by Kevin Dave. Authorities said the officers were responding to a drug overdose call and were travelling at a speed of 74mph (119km/h) in a 25 mph zone. While emergency lights were activated, the siren was reportedly used only at intersections.  

​After body-camera footage surfaced showing another officer, Daniel Auderer, laughing and suggesting Kandula’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.” The remarks drew sharp criticism and prompted protests, as per reports.

According to reports, Indian diplomats called for a formal investigation, and Seattle’s civilian oversight body later concluded that Auderer’s comments had severely damaged public trust in the police department.

Auderer, who was serving as a police union leader at the time, was dismissed from service and has since filed a lawsuit against the city alleging wrongful termination. He claimed his comments were intended as criticism of how legal authorities might handle the case.

Officer Dave, who was driving the vehicle that struck Kandula, was also fired from the department. He was cited for negligent driving and fined $5,000. However, King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges, stating they could not prove that the officer had deliberately disregarded public safety. As per reports