Seattle’s interim police chief on Monday fired the officer who killed a 23-year-old graduate student from India in his patrol car while responding to a call in January 2023. The incident sparked outrage and garnered widespread attention because another police officer was recorded on a body-worn camera making callous comments about Jaanavi Kandura’s death.
In an email to department officials obtained by NBC News, Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr said Monday that Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability said Kevin Dave violated four police department policies, including the safe deposit box requirement. After concluding that Kevin Dave was a member of the Board of Directors, the company said it had decided to fire Kevin Dave. Operation of police vehicles.
According to a police investigation report, Dave was driving 114 mph in a 25 mph zone on his way to an overdose call.
“I believe that the officer had no intention of harming anyone that night and was attempting to contact a potential overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote. “However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intentions do not mitigate the poor decisions that caused loss of life and discredited the Seattle Police Department. there is no.”
Dave had been with the department for four years. He could not immediately be reached Tuesday at a listed phone number or email address or through his LinkedIn account.
The police union, the Seattle Police Officers Guild, could not immediately be reached by phone and did not immediately respond to a request sent through its website.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case last year and found beyond a reasonable doubt that Dave had a “conscious disregard for safety” when he fatally struck Kandura in February. announced that they would not charge Dave with a felony because there was insufficient evidence. Crosswalk January 23, 2023.
Prosecutors said at the time that Dave had his emergency lights on and other pedestrians reported hearing his sirens. He also said Kandula apparently tried to run across the intersection when he saw his car approaching, and that his hearing may have been impaired because he was wearing wireless earphones.
Dave was fined $5,000 by the city for negligent driving.
Kandula’s death attracted international attention in September 2023, when recordings from then-police officer Daniel Oderer’s body-worn camera were released. Oderer can be heard laughing in the video, suggesting that Kandula’s life has “limited value” and that the city should “just write about it.” It’s a check. ” Oderer had been sent to determine whether Dave was impaired when he punched Kandula, throwing her more than 100 feet.
Local protesters were demanding justice for Kandura, as Indian diplomats also called for an investigation. Kandula, who was born in India, was a graduate student at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus.
Police said they learned of the conversation from an employee of the person involved who overheard the conversation “in the course of routine business.” After the employee raised concerns through the chain of command and reviewed the video, the Chief’s Office referred the video to the Office of Police Accountability for investigation, in accordance with department policy and the city’s accountability ordinance.
Oderer inadvertently left his body camera on during a call with the guild president. Oderer and the guild, of which he was vice president at the time, said his comments were taken out of context. More than six months after Kandula’s murder, and after being made aware of the video, Oderer wrote to the Commissioner of the Office of Police Accountability, citing statements made by the lawyer assigned to negotiate the case. He said he was imitating him. It’s a sarcastic way of saying you shouldn’t bring up crazy arguments to minimize your payments. ”
Mr. Rahl fired Mr. Oderer in July. In a department-wide email, she said Oderer’s on-camera behavior tarnished the reputation of the Seattle Police Department.
In the email, Mr. Rahl also said that Mr. Oderer was “well-regarded, if not loved,” by many executives and supervisors.
“I believe the impact of his actions was extremely devastating and cannot be mitigated by his intention to keep the conversations private. The hurt his words caused to Mr. Kandura’s family will be erased. I can’t do that,” Ra said. “The actions of this individual officer bring shame to the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, and make the job of every police officer that much harder,” she said.
Mr. Rah acknowledged that his decision to fire Mr. Dave could cause some discomfort.
“We understand and accept that many people will disagree with this decision,” she wrote in a department-wide email sent Monday. “This incident was tragic on every level and will have a lifelong impact on everyone involved. This heartbreaking situation has reminded police officers responding to emergencies that speed is the key when responding to emergency calls. We hope this will serve as a lasting reminder to never lose sight of the dangers of overdosing.” ”