A Seattle police officer who hit and killed a 23-year-old student from India in a crosswalk nearly two years ago has been fired for dangerous driving, city officials said on Tuesday (Jan 7).

Police officer Kevin Dave was driving 74 mph (119 kph) in a 25 mph (40 kph) zone when he fatally struck graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula in January 2023 as she was walking in the city's South Lake Union neighbourhood, police said.

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability found that Dave, who was on his way to the scene of a reported drug overdose, violated four policies including a requirement to operate police vehicles safely, interim Police Chief Sue Rahr said in an email to department staff about his firing on Monday.

Rahr said she did not believe Dave intended to hurt anyone as he rushed to the suspected overdose victim.

"However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving," Rahr said in the email, which the department released on Tuesday. Dave could not immediately be reached for comment.

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