Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. Reuters
On Thursday, Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi requested Seattle Police to conduct a radical investigation into the premature homicide of Indian scholar Jaahnavi Kandula.
Krishnamoorthi responded to a video of a Seattle police officer laughing concerning the loss of life of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate scholar killed by a police automobile travelling at 74 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.
“The recording of a Seattle Police officer making light of her death and questioning the value of her life is disgusting and unacceptable. I urge the Seattle Police Department to pursue its investigation into this matter with the seriousness it demands,” Krishnamoorthi stated.
Jaahnavi, a youth scholar at Washington’s Northeastern College was struck at a pedestrian crossing on the night time of 23 January 2023.
Within the video, Daniel Auderer, who’s captured on physique digicam whereas discussing the deadly collision, may be heard saying, “Yeah, just write a check. $11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”
The Nationwide Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) referred to as on all related authorities to prioritise inquiry, neighborhood participation, and respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals, victims, and the neighborhood in ache and loss in a unanimous decision.
Current studies together with in media of the dealing with of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s loss of life in a street accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We’ve taken up the matter strongly with native authorities in Seattle & Washington State in addition to senior officers in Washington DC
— India in SF (@CGISFO) September 13, 2023
NFIA counseled India’s Ambassador to america, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, for pushing the difficulty on the highest stage in Washington.
In an announcement, Indian American Impression stated it was outraged to observe the horrific movie of a Seattle police officer dismissing the killing of an Indian woman by one other cop, stating her life had no price.
We hope the officer is held accountable and Jaahnavi Kandula’s household receives justice, it stated.
Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal strongly condemned the incident.
“Jaahnavi Kandula was killed by a speeding police car. Then, police officers joked about her death and devalued her life. I’m sick to my stomach. This is exactly what happens when we normalise xenophobia and racism. It needs to stop,” she stated.
Axios reported that public outrage is mounting after a Seattle police officer was recorded on digicam laughing and saying {that a} pedestrian struck and killed by one other officer in January had “limited value”.
In keeping with Axios, a coalition that features members of the family of individuals killed by police launched statements Wednesday objecting to Auderer’s feedback.
“It’s no joke when police reveal their true feelings of contempt for the people they are sworn to protect,” Annalisa Thomas, whose son was killed by Lakewood police in 2013, stated in a information launch, the information web site reported.