A former police officer from Seattle is filing a lawsuit against the city for wrongful dismissal and seeking damages following his termination due to bodycam footage that allegedly depicts him laughing and joking after a woman was killed by a patrol car.
Daniel Auderer, the ex-officer, has initiated a $20 million tort claim against the city weeks after his dismissal for his conduct after the fatal incident involving Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old student from Northeastern University.
Auderer is asserting claims for damage to his personal reputation, wrongful termination, and emotional distress. He is also requesting compensation for lost wages amounting to $200,000 annually.
SEATTLE POLICE PATROL VEHICLE FATALLY STRIKES 23-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
Seattle police department patch. (GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
In light of his recent firing and the investigation findings, Auderer insists that his comments were misunderstood and taken out of context.
According to the complaint, Auderer stated, “Seattle PD disseminated incorrect information regarding unjust disciplinary actions and my private information.”
SEATTLE COP HEARD LAUGHING AFTER WOMAN KILLED IN CRASH CLAIMS INCIDENT WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT: REPORT
He further contends that his termination was unjust, particularly given his leadership position within the Seattle Police Officers Guild.
“I was wrongfully dismissed by SPD. This was an act of retaliation, primarily due to my role in union leadership.”
Seattle interim police Chief Sue Rahr addressed the matter in a statement to FOX 13, supporting her decision to terminate Auderer.
“At the heart of this situation lies a challenging judgment regarding how to properly weigh ‘intent versus impact,'” Rahr remarked. “The behaviors exhibited by this police officer have brought disgrace upon the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, complicating the work of every police officer.”
A Seattle police officer was dismissed for making heartless comments regarding a graduate student’s death after an officer’s vehicle struck her in a crosswalk last year. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP, File)
The tragic incident resulted in the death of the 23-year-old woman after she was hit by a Seattle police vehicle operated by another officer.
Body camera footage, released by the Seattle Police Department, captured Auderer describing Kandula as “just a regular person” and suggesting, “just write a check — $11,000, she was 26 anyway, her life was of limited value.”
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Fox News Digital has reached out to both the Seattle Police Department and the city of Seattle for comments.
