Three officers from the Arizona police were placed on leave for failing to rescue a homeless man from drowning. Here’s the full story of what transpired.
Arizona police officers placed on leave after man drowns
The latest bodycam footage and transcripts reveal Sean Bickings, a 34-year-old homeless man getting into Tempe Town Lake last month. He is heard warning the police present that he was “going to drown”. However, none of the Arizona police officers on the scene moved to intervene. Additionally, an officer is heard saying “I’m not jumping in after you”.Bickings was later declared dead after slipping underwater. The city authorities called his death a tragedy after describing him as “an unsheltered Tempe community member”.
The incident took place after 05:00 local time on 28 May, when officers responded to a call about an alleged fight between the man and his partner in the city center.
According to the city’s statement, the couple “cooperated fully and denied that any physical argument had taken place”.
However, camera footage revealed that while officers were checking the couple’s names for outstanding arrest warrants, Bickings climbed over a fence dividing the boardwalk from the lake and entered the water. He told the officers he was going “for a swim” and swam towards the bridge. This was even after officers informed him swimming was not allowed in the lake.
More on the footage and the incident
The footage ends at the 12-minute with a message. It has been cut short “due to the sensitive nature of the remaining portion of the recording”.
However, the city provided a transcript for the remainder of the incident. According to the transcript, Bickings repeatedly asked for help when he was on the verge of sinking.
The transcript also showed officers tried to calm down Bickings’ partner.
“He’s drowning right in front of you and you won’t help,” she shouted at some point. The three Arizona police officers have not been named.
They are on “non-disciplinary paid administrative leave” as their response is examined by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the police department of neighboring Scottsdale.