A Man Drowning in Tempe Lake told by Police that they Won't Come in to Help
"I'm not going to help you" transcripts reveal...
More reason not to trust the police after their stupid lack of action in the Uvalde shooting surfaces as three police officers have been placed on leave after reports and transcripts reveal they watched a man drown in Tempe Town Lake stating “I’m not going to help you.”
Police responded to a reported domestic violence situation between the man, Sean Bickings, and his wife. At the time, both parties claimed no fighting occurred. When officers were called, Bickings is said to have fled. In doing so, he jumped into a lake but was unable to get out of the water and eventually drowned.
Tempe Fire’s Dive and Rescue team found Bickings body in a portion of Tempe Town Lake and was pronounced dead at the scene. The death was said to be a “tragedy,” according to City Manager Andrew Ching and Police Chief Jeff Glover.
However, things get sticky with Tempe officials releasing new information on the incident. In the statement released, Sean Bickings was an "unsheltered Tempe community member." Police officers were said to have been called to the scene just after 5:00 am.
"When officers arrived, they spoke to Bickings and his companion, who cooperated fully and denied that any physical argument had taken place. Neither was 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."
Read pieces of the statement.
The Tempe Police also released a transcript of the conversations between officers and Bickings in which Officer 1 (no name is given) is telling Bickings he won’t be going into the lake to help.
Bickings (“victim” in the transcript): "I'm drowning."
Officer 2: "Come back over to the pylon."
Bickings: "I can't. I can't (inaudible).”
Officer 1: "OK, I'm not jumping in after you.”
Also revealed in the transcript is the officer repeatedly threatening to detain Bickings’ wife. He told her "If you don't calm down, I'm going to put you in my car."
"I'm just distraught because he's drowning right in front of him and you won't help.”
Bickings’ wife said as the rest of the document reveals her continually asking for help for her husband.
The man's body was pulled from the water at 11:30 a.m. that morning.
"The three Tempe police officers who responded to the call and witnessed the drowning have been placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave pending the investigations, as is customary in critical incidents."
Read a portion of the statement.
Officials say the city has asked DPS and Scottsdale Police to examine the police's response to the drowning.