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 Seattle Police Department had a net gain of one officer in 2024, breaking a four year streak of a net loss of officers. City leaders have identified the need to boost staffing within the Seattle Police Department after a mass exodus of officers leaving the force since 2020.

Jaahnavi Kandula was crossing the street at a crosswalk when she was struck by a police cruiser being driven by officer Kevin Dave in January 2023

A Seattle police officer who struck and killed a graduate student from India with his vehicle while responding to an overdose call in 2023 has been fired.

Interim Seattle police chief Sue Rahr announced Monday that Kevin Dave was fired over the Jan. 23, 2023 incident where Jaahnavi Kandula was killed when the former officer sped through a crosswalk.