Newly unveiled bodycam footage has exposed a Seattle police officer engaged in disturbing behavior just one day after a tragic incident in which a fellow officer struck and fatally injured a pedestrian with a patrol car.
The officer in question has been identified as Daniel Auderer, Vice President of the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild (SPOG). In the recorded phone conversation, Auderer can be heard speaking to Mike Solan, the President of SPOG, discussing the incident in which 23-year-old exchange student Jaahnavi Kandula lost her life due to Officer Kevin Dave’s actions.
Shockingly, after casually stating, “she’s dead,” Auderer proceeds to laugh and remark, “it’s a regular person,” in reference to Kandula. He callously suggests, “just write a check — $11,000, she was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”
Auderer also attempts to downplay the severity of Officer Dave’s actions by claiming he was “going 50 [miles an hour],” asserting that such a speed was not excessive for a trained driver. However, an official report from June contradicts this, revealing that Dave was actually traveling at a dangerous 74 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone while responding to a separate call.
It’s worth noting that Auderer had been present at the scene on the night of January 23 to conduct a drug recognition test on Officer Dave. The bodycam video containing Auderer’s disturbing conversation was recorded the following evening.
The officer’s insensitive comments have sparked widespread outrage, particularly among residents of the South Lake Union Neighborhood. One resident, Saga, expressed her disbelief, saying, “I don’t know. That is just… she had an entire family. I read about her. She had an entire family and career ahead of her.”
After sharing the video and the comments with the public, many individuals voiced their concerns about the officer’s behavior. Shub, a Seattle resident, stated, “I think these people need to be investigated. This kind of behavior is not expected from a public servant, especially in that moment.” Another woman emphasized that Auderer’s comments were even more troubling than his laughter.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) acknowledged that the video of Auderer’s conversation was discovered during routine operations by a department employee. It was subsequently escalated to Chief Adrian Diaz and referred to the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) for a comprehensive investigation.
While SPD released the video “in the interest of transparency,” they have refrained from providing further comments until the OPA completes its investigation.
Seattle’s civilian-led Community Police Commission (CPC) also issued a statement condemning the incident, highlighting concerns about the culture within the Seattle Police Department and resistance to officer accountability measures by SPOG. The CPC stressed that the community deserves better from a police department entrusted with fostering trust and ensuring public safety.
Efforts have been made to reach out to SPOG for comment, and a response is pending.
The video has been made available on SPD’s YouTube page for full viewing.
