Three Arizona Cops On Paid Administrative Leave After Allegedly Watching Man Drown
Three Tempe, Ariz. police officers who stood by as a Black man they were questioning drowned in a lake last month were “placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave” while the incident is under investigation, Tempe city officials said in a statement released on June 3.
According to authorities, the officers responded at 5 a.m. on May 28 to a domestic disturbance report between Sean Bickings, 34, and someone they identified as his “companion” at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The couple denied having an altercation and cooperated with the officers until the cops started to run a background check for outstanding warrants.
That’s when authorities say that Bickings, described as “an unsheltered community member,” climbed a metal fence and “voluntarily” entered the water. He swam between 30-40 yards before yelling for help and ultimately drowned.
Police body camera footage shows some of the encounter but cuts off before Bickings begins to struggle in the water. A written transcript reports what happened next.
“So, what’s your plan right now? The transcript quotes Officer 2.
While struggling in the water, Bickings responds, “I’m going to drown. I’m going to drown.”
The officer told him to swim to a pylon and hold on, but Bickings responds that he was not able to do that.
“OK, I’m not jumping in after you,” the same officer said.
“Please help me. Please, please, please,” Bickings states.
The transcript also reports the frantic interaction between cops and a woman the officers refer to as Susan, who says Bickings is her husband. She told the cops that Bickings did nothing wrong.
“I love him. I love him. Stop being so aggressive,” she told the officers.
Officials said City Manager Andrew Ching and Police Chief Jeff Glover believe Bickings’ death is a tragedy. They asked the Department of Public Safety and Scottsdale Police to examine the Tempe Police’s response to the drowning.
