A 23-year-old pedestrian died after being struck by a police patrol vehicle on Monday night in South Lake Union in United States Seattle, according to the Seattle Police Department. The woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. The deceased pedestrian was identified as Jaahnavi Kandula. She was a native of Kurnool Dist of Andhra Pradesh.
After the incident, Seattle Police D launched an investigation into the matter. An officer of the Seattle police on Tuesday afternoon responded to an urgent “priority one” call with the Seattle Fire Department when the woman was hit, as reported by The Seattle Times. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman and determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, The Seattle Times reported.
However, the police have not released any details about how the incident occurred and have declined to identify the officer. “At this point in the investigation, we have no reason to believe the officer intended to hit that woman,” said SPD spokesperson Detective Valerie Carson, as quoted by The Seattle Times. The spokesperson further said that it is not being handled as a use of force case.
The officer won’t be working his next shift. He will be taking a “release day,” Carson said, as reported by The Seattle Times. Release days are part of SPD’s officer wellness program after “traumatic or upsetting” incidents. The investigation in the case is led by the detectives from the traffic collision.
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The police reacted to the scene near the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street after 8 p.m. Monday, police said in an online blotter post, The Seattle Times reported. Responding officers found the woman with life-threatening injuries and performed CPR before the Fire Department arrived, according to the post.