Officials claim that a police SUV fatally struck and killed a 23-year-old graduate student at Northeastern University who was crossing the street at a crosswalk.
According to the Seattle Police Department, Jaahnavi Kandula, an Indian citizen from the state of Andhra Pradesh, was struck by a marked police SUV as she was crossing the street in a crosswalk on Dexter Avenue North in Seattle at roughly 8:00 p.m. on January 23. Her injuries are life-threatening.
The young woman was located by the police, who gave her CPR until firefighters took over. Kandula was taken to Harborview Medical Center in severe condition, where she later passed away.
Thank you @SeattleAarpr for inviting me to speak at your rally calling for justice for Jaahnavi Kandula, Manny “Tortuguita” Paez, Tyre Nichols and all victims of police violence. #justiceforjaahnavi #justicefortort #justicefortyre #justiceforherbert pic.twitter.com/O6MenOqtVm
— Justice for Herbert Hightower Jr. (@justice_forbert) January 30, 2023
According to a GoFundMe created for her mother, Kandula left her single mother and sister behind in her hometown to pursue her studies at Northeastern University and provide her family with a better life.
According to Boston 25, Kandula was working on a master’s degree in information systems at the College of Engineering and was scheduled to graduate in December 2023.
“Jaahnavi is remembered as a stellar student and a delightful and effervescent human being,” David Thurman, dean and CEO of Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, said to Boston 25. “She was a close friend to many and friends shared that they loved her bubbly laugh, sense of humor and infectious personality. Her loss will be felt deeply by students, staff, and faculty across campus.”
According to the GoFundMe, her mother is a teacher at a school in India and is left to pay the debt incurred by her daughter’s student loan.
“Jaahnavi`s family suffered an immense loss,” the GoFundMe said. “Her mother’s hopes and dreams are cut short now.”
“The family would like to get some closure and would like to know the circumstances behind the death,” the GoFundMe continued. “We demand that the Seattle Police and City officials release more information on the circumstances that have led to this untimely death. and what could have been done to avoid such a tragic accident? The family deserves answers to their questions, and her grieving mother deserves closure. We will continue to push police and city officials for answers.”
“Whether a person is walking, running, rolling, or biking, no one should be at risk of death from a crash or collision,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell in a statement. “We will continue to look to the data to determine where safety investments can and should be made, including regularly reassessing ongoing and future projects like the one at Thomas Street.”
???? Just now I visited the Dexter intersection where Jaahnavi Kandula was killed. I live without a car in this neighborhood and I walk these streets daily. I try to be a careful pedestrian but I still experience close calls, particularly at night. I want our streets to be safer. pic.twitter.com/GlZde8yx1T
— Greg Spotts (@Spottnik) January 29, 2023
