Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr fired Officer Kevin Dave following a fatal crash in January 2023 that killed 23-year-old graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula. Dave was driving at 74 mph in a 25 mph zone when he struck Kandula while responding to an overdose call.
Seattle’s interim police chief on Monday fired the officer who fatally struck a 23-year-old graduate student from India with his patrol vehicle in January 2023 while responding to a call. The case ignited outrage and attracted widespread attention after another officer was recorded on his body-worn camera making callous remarks about the death of Jaahnavi Kandula.
In an email to members of the department obtained by NBC News, interim Police Chief Sue Rahr said Monday that she had decided to fire Kevin Dave after the Seattle Office of Police Accountability concluded that he had violated four department policies, including one that requires the safe operation of police vehicles. Dave had been driving 74 mph in a 25 mph zone on his way to a call about an overdose, according to a police investigation report. “I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr wrote. “However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of a human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department.” Dave had been with the department for four years. He could not immediately be reached Tuesday at phone numbers and email addresses listed for him or through his LinkedIn account. The Seattle Police Officers Guild, a police union, could not immediately be reached by phone and a request sent through its website did not immediately receive a response. The King County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case last year and announced in February that it would not file felony charges against Dave, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he “was consciously disregarding safety” when he fatally struck Kandula in a crosswalk Jan. 23, 202
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