The police officer who struck and killed Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle last year will not face any criminal charges due to a lack of "sufficient" evidence, news agency PTI reported, citing authorities. The officer had hit the student while responding to an overdose call.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office said on Wednesday that they will not move forward with criminal charges against Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave, PTI reported, citing FOX13 Seattle. King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion stated that she believes they lack the evidence to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt, the report added, as reported by PTI.
"It is the responsibility of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to review all available evidence relating to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision death of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt," as quoted by PTI.
In a statement released Wednesday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney said, "Kandula’s death is heartbreaking and has impacted communities in King County and across the world," as quoted by PTI.
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The 23-year-old student was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Dave when she was crossing a street in Seattle on January 23 last year. He was driving at 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call. Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle.
In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication that Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.