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Arizona Cop Watch As Homeless Man Drown In Lake: “I’m Not Jumping After You”
Arizona Cop Watch As 43-Year-Old Homeless Man Beg & Down To Death In Lake
Sean Bickings, a 43-year-old homeless man, drowned to death in a lake while Arizona police officers stood by and ignored his pleas for help. As per the bodycam footage, officers responded to a disturbance between a couple near the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge in Tempe on Saturday, May 28.
Bickings and his wife denied any physical altercation, but when the officers told the couple they were checking to see if either had any outstanding arrest warrants, Bickings climbed over a four-foot fence and said, “I’m gonna go for a swim. I’m free to go right?” before jumping into the lake.
While Bickings swims further, an officer can be heard asking, “How far do you think he is going to be able to swim?”Tempe police didn’t release the video of the drowning stating that it was too sensitive, and instead provided a transcript of the footage, as per 12 News.
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“I’m drowning,” Bickings reportedly said. “Come back over to the pylon,” an officer replied. “I can’t. I can’t,” the man said, as per the transcript. “Okay, I’m not jumping in after you,” an officer responded.
“Please help me. Please, please, please. I can’t touch. Oh God, Please help me. Help me,” Bickings reportedly yelled.
Nearly six hours later, Bicking’s body was pulled from the lake. The three officers who responded to the call and witnessed the drowning have been placed on paid administrative leave, as per 12 News. “At that point, the officers don’t really have a reason to be there. In reality, law enforcement did not have the authority to detain him,” said Andy Anderson, former assistant chief with Phoenix Police.
As per the official statement, “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. That check had not yet been completed when Bickings decided to slowly climb over a 4-foot metal fence and enter the water. 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.”
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