Seattle Officer Fired for Comments About Woman Fatally Struck by Patrol Vehicle

A Seattle police officer has been fired for making callous remarks about the death of a graduate student from India after she was struck last year by another officer's vehicle in a crosswalk.

Seattle interim police Chief Sue Rahr fired Officer Daniel Auderer on Wednesday for the comments he made in the hours after the January 2023 death of Jaahnavi Kandula, CBS reports.

Rahr wrote in a departmentwide email sent Wednesday that it was her duty to uphold the high standards necessary to maintain public trust, and said Auderer's actions "have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult."

In a disciplinary action report laying out the reasons for her decision, Rahr said in Auderer's presentation at the disciplinary hearing he acknowledged that his words were hurtful, was "horrified" to know what they meant to the young woman's family, and he wished he could bear their pain. He closed with a "heartfelt apology," the chief wrote.

The end of Auderer's two-minute phone conversation with another officer was captured on his body camera, which he didn't know was running.

Auderer is heard laughing after stating Kandula was dead, incorrectly saying she was "just 26," and reasoning her young life had "limited value" and that the city should just write a check for $11,000.