Jaahnavi Kandula (1999 – January 23, 2023) was an Indian graduate student from Andhra Pradesh who was studying for a Master’s degree in Information Systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus. She became internationally known after being struck and killed by a Seattle Police Department vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave while crossing a marked crosswalk on January 23, 2023. Her death sparked global outrage and led to a $29 million settlement from the City of Seattle in February 2026.
Jaahnavi Kandula was born in 1999 in Halvi village in Kowthalam mandal of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. Her family later settled in Adoni, a town in Kurnool district. She attended a government school for her early education before joining Dr. Jyothirmayi Degree College in Adoni.
Kandula completed her Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree in 2019. After graduating, she made the decision to pursue higher education in the United States.
Jaahnavi Kandula’s father was K. Srikanth (also spelled Sreekanth), who worked as a Head Constable in the police department before retirement. Her mother, Vijayalakshmi, worked as a school teacher in Adoni. The couple had two daughters: Jaahnavi, the elder daughter, and Meghana, the younger sister.
In a tragic development, Srikanth Kandula passed away from a heart attack in February 2026, just days before the announcement of the $29 million compensation settlement from Seattle. He had been fighting a legal battle for nearly three years seeking justice for his daughter’s death. Family members reported that Srikanth had been in severe emotional distress since Jaahnavi’s death in 2023.
His funeral was conducted in Adoni, Kurnool district. Following both tragedies, Vijayalakshmi was left in profound grief, having lost both her eldest daughter and her husband.
Jaahnavi Kandula traveled to the United States in September 2020 to pursue a two-year Master of Science program in Information Systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus. She was scheduled to graduate in December 2023. To support herself financially during her studies, she took up a part-time job on campus.
At the time of her death, she was 23 years old and in the final months of completing her graduate degree.
Multiple LinkedIn profiles exist under variations of the name “Jahnavi Kandula,” though the specific professional LinkedIn profile belonging to the deceased student has not been definitively identified in public sources. LinkedIn posts memorializing Jaahnavi after her death referred to her educational background and origins in Andhra Pradesh.
On January 23, 2023, Jaahnavi Kandula was crossing a street in a marked crosswalk in Seattle, Washington when she was struck by a police vehicle. The vehicle was driven by Seattle Police Department Officer Kevin Dave, who was responding to a report of a drug overdose call. Officer Dave was driving at 74 miles per hour (more than 119 kilometers per hour) at the time of the collision.
Kandula died from injuries sustained in the crash. The incident occurred while she was legally crossing in a designated crosswalk.
The case gained international attention after body camera footage captured insensitive remarks made by another Seattle Police officer about the incident. This footage sparked global outrage and intensified calls for accountability.
Officer Kevin Dave was fired from the Seattle Police Department in January 2025, nearly two years after the incident. Initial legal proceedings resulted only in a fine, which Kandula’s family challenged through continued legal action.
In February 2026, the City of Seattle agreed to a $29 million compensation settlement (approximately ₹262 crore) with Jaahnavi Kandula’s family. City officials stated that the settlement recognized the family’s suffering and loss. Authorities contacted Kandula’s family members and requested they travel to America in March 2026 for official proceedings related to the settlement.
Tragically, Jaahnavi’s father Srikanth passed away just days before learning about the settlement agreement. In response to the settlement, Vijayalakshmi, Jaahnavi’s mother, reportedly asked, “What will we do with the money?” reflecting the irreplaceable nature of her loss.
Jaahnavi Kandula’s death highlighted issues of police accountability, traffic safety, and the treatment of international students in the United States. Her case received widespread media coverage in both India and the United States, with many advocacy groups citing it as an example of the need for reform in police driving practices during emergency responses.
