Seattle has reached a $29 million settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student from India who was struck and killed by a police officer as she crossed a street in 2023, according to the city and court filings reported by the Associated Press. City Attorney Erika Evans said the settlement is intended to bring “some sense of closure” to the family after Kandula’s death.
Evans said in her statement that “Jaahnavi Kandula’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family.” She added, “Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community.” The settlement was filed with King County Superior Court, and local news website PubliCola first reported on the agreement.
Kandula was pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University. The AP reported that she was fatally struck by Officer Kevin Dave, who was driving while responding to a drug overdose call. Prosecutors and police accounts included that Dave was traveling as fast as 74 mph in a 25-mph zone, with emergency lights on and the siren in use at intersections.
The settlement comes amid fallout from body-camera footage that fueled public outrage, especially after another officer’s recording surfaced. The recording, reported by AP, included comments in which Officer Daniel Auderer laughed and suggested Kandula’s life had “limited value,” and that the city should “just write a check.” Diplomatic officials from India sought an investigation into the remarks.
Seattle’s civilian watchdog later found that Auderer’s comments harmed the department’s reputation and undermined public trust, according to the AP report. The city fired Auderer, who is identified as a union leader, and he later sued Seattle for wrongful termination, disputing the basis for his firing.
In a written statement emailed by an attorney for the family, Vonda Sargent, Kandula’s family said the settlement could not undo the loss. The family said, “While no amount can ever bring Jaahnavi back, we hope this resolution reflects the seriousness of what was lost and underscores the value of her life,” and added that Kandula was “cherished beyond measure” and that “her future was full of promise.”
Separate consequences also followed the crash itself. Seattle fired the driving officer, and the AP said he was cited for negligent driving and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. King County prosecutors declined to file felony charges against Dave, saying they could not prove he was deliberately disregarding safety when he struck Kandula.
The AP reported that about $20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance. The parties filed a notice of settlement in King County Superior Court last Friday, putting an end—at least for now—to the pending wrongful-death litigation over Kandula’s death.