In a troubling turn of events, an investigation is currently underway following the release of bodycam footage that appears to show a Seattle police officer making callous remarks about a tragic accident. The incident in question involved the fatal collision of a young woman with a patrol car, and the officer’s alleged insensitive comments have ignited public outrage.
The officer in question, identified as Daniel Auderer, was responding to an incident near a university where Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student, lost her life. In the disturbing video, Officer Auderer can be heard making disparaging remarks, suggesting that the victim’s life held “limited value” and proposing that the city should simply “write a cheque.”
These comments have stirred controversy and prompted a swift response from the community. However, Officer Auderer has claimed that his remarks were taken out of context, further complicating the matter.
The tragic incident occurred on January 23rd, when Ms. Kandula was struck and fatally injured by a police car while crossing the street. The Seattle Times, citing a police investigation report, revealed that the officer behind the wheel was traveling at a speed of 74 miles per hour (approximately 119 kilometers per hour). The impact of the collision was so severe that the graduate student’s body was thrown over 100 feet (approximately 30 meters).
Officer Auderer’s troubling comments were recorded on his body camera during a call he made to a colleague at the scene. “But she is dead,” the officer can be heard saying before laughter ensues. “No, it’s a regular person. Yeah, just write a cheque,” he remarks callously before laughing again. “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.”
It’s important to note that Mr. Auderer is not just an ordinary police officer; he holds a leadership position as a union leader within the Seattle Police Department. During this particular call, he was conversing with Mike Solan, the president of the police guild. Unfortunately, Mr. Solan’s audio during the call remains unintelligible.
The revelation of this disturbing conversation came to light when an employee, while reviewing materials “in the routine course of business,” expressed deep concerns about the nature of the statements made by Officer Auderer. These concerns were swiftly reported up the chain of command, leading to an internal investigation by the Seattle Police Department.
Subsequently, the matter was escalated to the Office of Police Accountability, the agency responsible for investigating instances of police misconduct. This oversight agency will be examining the context in which the officer’s remarks were made and determining whether any department policies were violated.
In an attempt to explain his comments, Officer Auderer provided a written statement suggesting that his remarks were intended to mimic how city attorneys might seek to minimize liability in the aftermath of such incidents. He claimed to have laughed at the perceived absurdity of how such cases are litigated. This explanation has done little to quell the public’s outrage.
The release of the body-camera footage has been met with widespread condemnation. The Seattle Community Police Commission, another oversight agency, described the footage as “heartbreaking and shockingly insensitive.” Victoria Beach, the chair of the African American Community Advisory Council, expressed her shock and dismay, stating that she was “sickened” by the incident. “I was very disturbed that somebody could laugh about somebody that died,” she said.
In response to the growing outcry, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has initiated a criminal review of the crash, signaling the gravity of the situation. As the investigation unfolds, questions about accountability and the broader implications of this incident within the Seattle Police Department remain at the forefront.
The community, along with concerned citizens, eagerly awaits the results of the ongoing investigation, hopeful that justice will be served in this tragic case.
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