Three Tempe, Arizona, police officers stood by and watched a man drown as he pleaded with them for help, police transcripts show.
Authorities said they responded to a report of domestic violence outside of the Tempe Center for the Arts after 5 a.m. on May 28. They questioned Sean Bickings and a woman who identified herself as his wife.
Body-worn camera footage shows Bickings slowly climbing into the Tempe Town Lake in the middle of the conversation with officers. Officials said he swam 30 to 40 yards before showing signs of distress.
The body camera footage does not show the entire incident “due to the sensitive nature of the remaining portion of the recording,” but officials released a transcript detailing the reminder of the incident instead.
“He soon went under and did not resurface,” according to a statement from Tempe Police Department.
None of the officers jumped in to save Bickings, and when the woman begged them to intervene, they threatened to detain her, transcripts show.
“I’m going to drown. I am going to drown,” Bickings said.
“No, you’re not,” the officer identified as Officer 2 said.
“Go at least go to the pylon and hold on,” Officer 1 said.
“I can’t. I can’t,” Bickings said.
“OK, I’m not jumping in after you,” Officer 1 said.
“Please help me,” Bickings said. “Please, please, please.”
Bickings told officers he was drowning three times and asked for help two times, the transcript shows.
Officials later said in a statement that the officers told Bickings and his partner that they were running their names to check for warrants. Both the woman and Bickings denied that a physical altercation had occurred. Officials said neither of them was being detained for any offense.
The footage does not show officers informing either of them of the warrant check.
“That check had not yet been completed when Bickings decided to slowly climb over a 4-foot metal fence and enter the water,” officials said in a statement.
The Arizona Republic reports that the police said they later discovered Bickings had three outstanding warrants. The officers have been placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave pending an investigation, “as is customary in critical incidents,” officials said.
A Downtown Tempe Authority ambassador had reported the disturbance between the couple, which drew the officers to the location near the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge.
The woman, who identified herself as Susan Smith, told officers that she had “conversating” issues with her husband when they initially arrived. Smith added that the conversation did get loud at some point.
Bickings told the officers that they lived on the grounds outside of the center. The officers joked with the man and had a casual conversation before he went over the fence.
“I have liver problems,” Bickings said.
“I heard skinny jeans make liver problems worse,” one of the officers said.
Bickings sat on a concrete barrier for about 10 seconds before speed walking into the water.
“What are you doing, my friend?” One officer asked.
“I am going for a swim. I’m free to go, right?” Bickings asked.
“You can’t swim in the lake, man,” another officer said.
As the woman begged the officers to save the Black man’s life, one officer announced Bickerings went under the water “30 seconds ago” and had not resurfaced. Reports show that the Tempe Fire Medical and Rescue pulled his body from the water around 11:30 a.m.
Smith said she suffers from severe anxiety, and Bickings was the only family she had left. She tried to jump over the railing at one point, the transcript shows.
“I’m just distraught because he’s drowning right in front of you, and you won’t help,” she said.
