“I don’t dare after you” – Arizona man drowns in front of three police officers who did not enter the water to save him
- Sean Bickings, 34, jumped into Lake Tempe Town, Arizona on May 28th
- Officers were at the scene after riots between Bickings and his wife, who are reportedly homeless
- Bickings then entered the water and then drowned while calling for help from the police.
- The incident is being investigated and officers are on administrative leave
From Jack Newman to Mailonline
Posted: 10:55, 6 June 2022 | Updated: 1:29 PM, June 6, 2022
Three Tempe, Arizona police officers have been placed on “paid non-disciplinary paid administrative leave” amid an investigation into the death of a homeless man who drowned while asking for help.
Recently released body camera footage and a transcript of the incident show that Sean Bickings, 34, jumped into Lake Tempe Town, Arizona on May 28 after an unrest with his wife.
Bickings is seen getting into the water after officers arrived at the scene at 5 a.m. following reports of a physical altercation, which the couple denied.
Sean Bickings, 34, jumped into Lake Tempe Town, Arizona on May 28 after a riot with his wife.
The 34-year-old man (pictured) drowned while three police officers allegedly watched him call for help.
While checking to see if the couple had any arrest warrants pending, Bickings climbed over a four-foot fence and jumped into the water.
He is heard to say, “I’m going to swim.” I’m free to go, right?
Police told the 34-year-old that he was not allowed to enter the lake while on the other side of the fence while jumping.
He is seen swimming away from the shore while an agent is heard saying, “How far do you think he will be able to swim?”
The edited images from the body camera shared by the agents end before Bickings drowned, because they said he was too sensitive.
While checking to see if the couple had any arrest warrants pending, Bickings climbed over a four-foot fence and jumped into the water.
He is seen swimming away from the shore while an agent is heard saying, “How far do you think he will be able to swim?”
Instead, they provided a transcript in which Bickings desperately sought help from officers.
He said, ‘I’m drowning.’
Then an agent replied, “Go back to the tower.”
Bickings said, “I can’t, I can’t.”
Then the other agent said, “Okay, I won’t go after you.”
He pleaded, ‘Please help me. Please, please, please. I can’t touch. My God, please help me. Help me. ‘
Bickings’ wife, who was still at the scene, also begged officers to intervene, saying, “I’m anxious because he’s drowning right in front of you and you’re not going to help me.”
Officers had arrived at the scene at 5 a.m. following reports of the physical altercation, which the couple denied.
The transcript states that one of the officers threatened to put her in her police car unless she calmed down.
An officer reportedly tried to get a boat to rescue Bickings, but it was too late and he fell under the surface of the water.
His body was not recovered until 11:20 p.m.
Andy Anderson, a former assistant chief of Phoenix police, told 12News, “This is not a lake patrol team that has the equipment to do a water rescue, these are street police.”
City Manager Andrew Ching and Police Chief Jeff Glover said the death was a “tragedy.”
The incident and police response are being investigated by Scottsdale Police and the Department of Public Safety.
Officials said in a statement: “The three Tempe police officers who responded to the call and witnessed the drowning have been placed on paid non-disciplinary administrative leave pending investigations, as is usual in critical incidents. “.