- Seattle will pay £23 million ($29 million) to Jaahnavi Kandula’s family.
- The 23-year-old was struck by a police vehicle travelling at 74 mph in a 25-mph zone.
- About £16 million ($20 million) will come from the city’s insurer.
Seattle has agreed to pay £23 million ($29 million) to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the Indian student who was killed after being hit by a speeding police car in 2023. City officials said the settlement had been finalised with her relatives, almost two years after the crash triggered anger in both the US and India.
In a statement on Wednesday, city attorney Erika Evans described Kandula’s death as “heartbreaking” and said the city hoped the payment would bring “some sense of closure” to her family, as quoted in a news report. She added that Kandula’s life “mattered” to her loved ones and the wider community.
A night that sparked outrage
Kandula, 23, was from Andhra Pradesh and had moved to the US in 2021 from Bengaluru under a student exchange programme. She was pursuing a master’s degree at Northeastern University’s South Lake Union campus and was expected to graduate in December.
She was crossing a road when officer Kevin Dave, responding to a drug overdose call, struck her. Investigators said he was driving at up to 74 mph (119 kmph) in an area where the speed limit was 25 mph (40 kmph). Her death set off protests and public fury.
The anger deepened after body camera footage from another officer emerged. In the clip, officer Daniel Auderer was heard laughing and suggesting Kandula’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a cheque”, according to reports. Indian diplomats sought an inquiry into the incident.
Seattle’s civilian oversight body later concluded that Auderer’s comments damaged the police department’s reputation and eroded public trust.
Fallout within the police force
Auderer was dismissed from service. He has since filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming wrongful termination, reportedly arguing that his remarks were intended as criticism of how lawyers might handle such cases.
The officer behind the wheel was also removed from the department. He was cited for negligent driving and ordered to pay a fine of $5,000. Prosecutors in King County declined to bring felony charges, stating they could not prove he had knowingly disregarded safety when the collision occurred.
Of the £23 million settlement, about £16 million ($20 million) is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance. The rest will be paid directly by Seattle.
For Kandula’s family, the agreement may close one chapter. Whether it settles wider questions around policing and accountability in Seattle remains open to debate.
