Protesters march through downtown Seattle after body camera footage was released of a Seattle police officer joking about the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old woman hit and killed in January by officer Kevin Dave in a police cruiser on September 14, 2023, in Seattle.
| Photo Credit: AP

Demanding sensitivity, respect and jail for killer police officers who were responsible for the killing of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula, more than 100 members of the South Asian community held a rally on the site where she was struck and killed by a speeding police patrol car.

Kandula, 23, was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave when she was crossing a street on January 23. He was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call.

In bodycam footage released on Monday by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

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Over 100 members of the Seattle area’s South Asian community gathered at Denny Park on Saturday and made their way to the intersection where Kandula was hit.

They held signs saying “Jaahnavi had more value than Seattle Police Department” and “Justice for Jaahnavi, jail killer cops.” The rally was put together by UTSAV, which means festival or celebration, an organisation based in Bothell that helps connect South Asians with their communities.

“We’re not a monolith, the Indian community,” Rep. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, said to the crowd.

“There’s diaspora in the community, but we are all united today.”

Video from the night of the crash has sparked international outrage over the officer’s comments.

On Saturday, rally attendees pointed out that Kandula’s life did have value.

Shifali Jamwal, who brought her 3-year-old son, said Kandula was a master’s student and moved to America for her education so “her life would have more value.”

“I can only imagine what Jaahnavi’s mom is going through,” Ms. Jamwal said.

Another attendee, Kyla Carrillo, 25, called Auderer’s comments “completely disrespectful.

“Not even unbelievable, not shocking, but just for [him] to value somebody’s life as such was disrespectful,” she said.

As people marched through the Dexter and Thomas crosswalk, one car continued moving forward, honking at protesters, despite several yield for pedestrian signs.

Between lanes at the intersection, marchers lit tea lights spelling out “Jaahnavi” and laid bouquets underneath a sign.

Kandula was set to graduate this coming December with a master’s degree in information systems from the Seattle campus of Northeastern University. Her family said she was working toward supporting her mother in India.

Saddened by Kandula’s death, Kenneth W. Henderson, Chancellor of Northeastern University in a statement issued on the varsity’s official Facebook page on Friday said that.” Her loss will be felt deeply by students, staff, and faculty. The university plans to award Jaahnavi her degree posthumously and present it to her family.

Earlier Saturday, community members met with Seattle’s mayor and police chief regarding the release of the footage.

They said they do not endorse eliminating police, but that Seattle must improve training, and stay engaged with the South Asian community. Statements by Mayor Bruce Harrell to date, that the offensive remarks represent an isolated incident, don’t go far enough to deal with the system and police culture, leaders said.

Arun Sharma, founder of UTSAV, said the organization plans to escalate action if the Police Department doesn’t take action against Auderer and Dave.

“Let’s not wait for another major incident like this to wake us up,” Mr. Sharma said. “Immigrants die by a thousand cuts.” Before dispersing, protesters chanted “Who had unlimited value? Jaahnavi Kandula. Say her name. Jaahnavi Kandula.”