Seattle, WA
Seattle police officer fired for fatally hitting graduate student with car
A Seattle police officer who hit and killed a graduate student from India with his vehicle while responding to an overdose call in January 2023 has been fired, Seattle’s interim police chief announced Monday.
Interim police chief Sue Rahr wrote in an email to employees that she fired Kevin Dave after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability determined he had violated four department policies, including one requiring officers to be responsible for safely operating a patrol vehicle, in connection with the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, according to The Seattle Times.
“I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote.
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A photo of Jaahnavi Kandula is displayed with flowers, Jan. 29, 2023, in Seattle. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP)
“However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving,” she continued. “His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of a human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department.”
Rahr’s announcement comes nearly a year after King County prosecutors announced they had declined to file felony charges against Dave due to insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dave was consciously disregarding safety when he struck and killed Kandula.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office later issued Dave a $5,000 citation for negligent driving.
The Seattle City Attorney’s Office issued Dave a $5,000 citation for negligent driving. (iStock)
City prosecutors said Dave was driving as fast as 74 mph on a street with a 25-mph speed limit before hitting Kandula. Dave initially contested the ticket before recently agreeing to pay the fine, complete an eight-hour traffic safety course within a year and perform 40 hours of community service by Sept. 30.
Kandula’s death sparked outrage in the U.S. and India, particularly after another officer’s body-worn camera footage was made public. In the recording, that officer, Daniel Auderer, laughed and suggested Kandula’s life had “limited value” and the city should “just write a check.”
Diplomats from India called for an investigation and Seattle’s civilian watchdog found the comments by Auderer, who was a union leader, damaged the police department’s reputation and undermined public trust.
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City prosecutors said Dave was driving as fast as 74 mph on a street with a 25-mph speed limit before hitting Kandula. (Seattle Police Department / File)
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Auderer was eventually fired over the comments.
Kandula’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Dave and the city, alleging that Kandula experienced severe emotional distress, pain and suffering before dying from her injuries. The family said it was asking for $110 million in damages, plus $11,000. The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in September.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Seattle, WA
Detectives Investigating Drive-By Shooting in South Seattle – SPD Blotter
Seattle police detectives in the Gun Violence Reduction Unit (GVRU) are investigating a drive-by shooting this afternoon that injured a young man in the Rainer Valley and shut down multiple intersections.
At about 4:40 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a shooting at Rainier Avenue South and South Othello Street. Officers found three related crime scenes, with the initial location being the intersection of Rainier and Othello. There, officers recovered dozens of shell casings and bullet damage to a nearby business.
Police recovered additional ballistic evidence at the second scene, near Holly Park Drive South and South Myrtle Place. Officers discovered the third crime scene directly in front of the South Precinct, where they stopped one of the involved cars, a Tesla, that sustained significant bullet damage.
The driver of this car, an 18-year-old man, did not have any injuries. The passenger, also 18, sustained a grazing gunshot wound to his head. Firefighters arrived to treat his injury, and medics took him to Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in stable condition.
Police determined that the suspects fired on the Tesla from another vehicle at Rainier and Othello. The victims sped away from the intersection and the suspect vehicle fled the area. Multiple cars drove away from the gunfire and pedestrians ran to safety. The Tesla sped off towards the precinct before being intercepted by officers.
Seattle police and King County deputies searched for the suspects but could not find them. Police did not make any arrests. GVRU detectives responded to the shooting. Police processed all three crime scenes and investigators conducted interviews at HMC. SPD’s Video Unit responded and recovered video footage from the area.
This is an open and active case assigned to GVRU. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Incident Number: 2026-96231
Seattle, WA
Who are your all-time favorite late-round Seattle Seahawks draft picks?
We’re continuing our theme of Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft discussion today with a trip down memory lane.
The Seahawks have a deep history of finding some gems in the later rounds of the draft. Three Legion of Boom members were taken in the fourth, fifth, fifth, and sixth rounds, while Seattle’s first Super Bowl MVP was seventh-round linebacker Malcolm Smith. The only offensive touchdown scored in Seattle’s second Super Bowl win was by fourth-round tight end A.J. Barner, who might be on the cusp of stardom beyond the Seattle sports bubble.
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We want to know your favorite Seahawks late-round draft picks of all time, but there is a clear restriction to eliminate some obvious candidates. A “late-round draft pick” is defined as no earlier than Round 4, which means Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett are ineligible as third-rounders. Once upon a time, the NFL Draft was longer than seven rounds—the Seahawks’ inaugural season had a 17-round draft—so if you want to really choose players from before the change-over in 1994 then go right ahead! Undrafted players like Doug Baldwin do not count because, well, they were literally not drafted.
You don’t have to reason that they were legendary, all-time great Seahawks. Chris Carson is not one of the top three running backs in Seahawks history but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t a joy to watch a seventh-round pick become a quality starter whose career was cruelly cut short due to injury.
And yes, Michael Dickson (fifth-round pick) counts because punters are indeed people.
Refer to Pro Football Reference for the Seahawks’ draft history in case your memory needs jogging.
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Seattle, WA
Seattle area Iranian-Americans, activists react to ceasefire deal
SEATTLE — People from Seattle to Redmond are speaking out about the ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran after President Trump’s threat of massive attacks.
President Trump on Tuesday announced he would suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for two weeks as part of a temporary ceasefire brokered by the Pakistani government.
The suspension of attacks is contingent on Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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Iran responded by claiming victory, saying ships will be allowed to pass through the strait, but only under the management of the Iranian military.
Shayan Arya is an Iranian-American with cousins and friends in Iran, who have detailed by phone their experiences being near recent warfare.
“In the middle of our conversations, the bombing started,” Arya explained. “And so she said, ‘Can you hear the bombs dropping?’”
He said he was concerned about power plants being bombed in Iran, and is grateful they won’t be targeted, for now.
Meanwhile, on the steps of Seattle City Hall, a group rallied against the Trump Administration’s foreign policy and actions.
“Perhaps we should stop bombing the cradle of civilization and calling it freedom. We should be investing in people, the communities,” one woman chanted through a megaphone.
Counter-protesters showed up, leading to heated confrontations for a short time.
Arya said he feels relief, for now, amid the ceasefire, but that there’s ongoing concern about Iran’s future under its current regime.
“It’s just a matter of time [until the regime collapses], and at what price?” he asked.
CNN reports the White House is preparing for in-person negotiations with Iran to help broker a long-term peace deal.
The developments come just hours after the president posted a message online, threatening, “A whole civilization could die tonight… Never to be brought back again.”
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