Three police officers in Arizona have been placed on leave after watching a man beg for help as he drowned, with one having told the dying man that they would not jump in after him.
Sean Bickings, 34, died on Saturday after jumping into lake near the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge in Tempe, Arizona.
Officers had responded to a call about an alleged fight between Bickings and his partner. Neither were being detained for any offences as they 'cooperated fully', but they were told their names would be run through a database to check for outstanding arrest warrants.
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The city of Tempe said in a statement that Bickings, who was homeless, had ‘voluntarily’ entered the water to go for a swim, but soon became ‘unable to continue swimming’.
Bodycam footage of the incident shows Bickings in the water, telling officers: "I’m going to drown, I’m going to drown.”
One of the officers then told him to ‘come back over to the pylon’, to which he responded: “I can’t. I can’t.” Another of the officers then said: "Okay, I’m not jumping in after you.”
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Bickings had been ‘conversing, unhandcuffed, with the officers, who had responded to a call about an alleged fight between Bickings and his companion’, the city of Tempe said, adding: "When officers arrived, they spoke to Bickings and his companion, who cooperated fully and denied that any physical argument had taken place.
"Neither were being detained for any offense. Officers told the couple they were running their names through a database used to check whether people have outstanding arrest warrants; this is a standard procedure.”
The check had not been completed when Bickings decided to ‘slowly climb over a 4-foot metal fence and enter the water’.
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The statement continued: “Officers informed him swimming is not allowed in the lake. He swam about 30-40 yards before repeatedly indicating he was in distress. He soon went under and did not resurface."
A transcript of the incident documents a responding officer telling a witness: "If you don’t calm down, I’m going to put you in my car."
One officer later then told the witness: "Okay, the officer is going to get the boat right now."
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The three Tempe police officers who responded to the call and witness the downing have been placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave pending the investigations, as is ‘customary in critical incidents’.
The city also said Tempe City Manager Andrew Ching and Police Chief Jeff Glover described Bickings’ death as a ‘tragedy’.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: US News
Jess Hardiman