Dear John,
Last week, the Seattle Police Department released body camera footage revealing the dehumanizing and disgusting response by SPD Detective Daniel Auderer after another officer, Kevin Dave, hit and killed 23-year-old Northeastern University student Jaahnavi Kandula in an SPD vehicle earlier this year.1
In the horrifying recording, Detective Auderer can be heard on the phone with another officer laughing and joking about Jaahnavi, cruelly describing her as just "a regular person" and dismissively stating that the city should simply "write a check" for her death. "She was 26, anyway. She had limited value," he is heard saying.2
Jaahnavi was a daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin, friend, classmate, coworker, and loved one. Her life had infinite value. Not only should the officer who recklessly hit and killed her be held accountable, but Detective Auderer—who disgraced his oath to serve and protect—needs to be investigated and fired for his horrifying disregard for human life. Sign the petition now if you agree.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, the shameful comments by Detective Auderer are part of a pattern of violence and harm caused by SPD and disproportionately experienced by Indigenous, Black, and other people of color.3 The awful racist, xenophobic, ageist, and sexist undertones in Detective Auderer’s comments make it clear that he felt like Jaahnavi’s life was of "limited value" because she was a young, Indian woman.
The Seattle community cannot trust SPD to address racialized and gendered violence when their officers are the same ones systematically perpetrating it. Add your name to the petition to demand accountability from the SPD and officers.
Sign Now
Just last year, Stop AAPI Hate released a report on the increase in violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. White supremacy and patriarchy are inextricably connected, with the organization reporting that anti-AAPI violence disproportionately targeted AAPI women, nonbinary people, and other marginalized genders.4 No matter the professional, social, and financial contributions by Indian communities in the United States, Jaahnavi’s death is a devastating reminder that we are unable to escape racism and inequality.
Jaahnavi’s life had inherent value. Her mother made sacrifices to send her daughter to the United States in hopes she would have a better life, trusting that she would be treated with dignity and respect. Instead, her life was treated with complete disregard by the very individuals and systems claiming they would protect her.
Add your name and then share with three friends to help spread the word and demand that the SPD, Officer Dave, and Detective Auderer be held accountable.
Thanks for all you do.
–MoveOn
Sources:
1. "Seattle officer recorded joking about woman's death, saying 'she had limited value,'" NPR, September 14, 2023
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/13/1199352063/seattle-officer-recorded-joking-about-womans-death-saying-she-had-limited-value
2. "Officer caught on bodycam laughing, joking over death of grad student struck by another cop," ABC News, September 14, 2023
https://abc7chicago.com/seattle-officer-laughs-at-woman-killed-daniel-auderer-cop-laughing-jaahnavi-kandula-video/13781386/
3. "ACLU of Washington statement on SPD officer mocking death of Jaahnavi Kandula," ACLU of Washington, September 14, 2023
https://www.aclu-wa.org/news/aclu-washington-statement-spd-officer-mocking-death-jaahnavi-kandula
4. "New Report: Two Years of Hate Incident Data," Stop AAPI Hate, July 20, 2022
https://stopaapihate.org/2022/07/20/new-report-two-years-of-hate-incident-data/
PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG CIVIC ACTION
