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Three police officers placed on leave after watching a drowning man beg for help

State and local officials are investigating the death of a Tempe, Arizona man who drowned while police watched nearby. Officers responded to a call about an alleged argument between Sean Bickings, 34, and his traveling companion before he drowned. The city describes him as “unremarkable. Police have released body cam footage of the tragedy that shows the man begging for help as they calmly watch him die. The three officers involved have been placed on leave while the situation is investigated.

According to a notice issued by the city of Tempe, around 5 a.m. on May 28, Tempe police found Bickings and a woman at a reservoir near the footbridge. The statement said both Bickings and his partner denied any physical violence had occurred and neither was arrested.

Full Body Camera Footage Shows Man & Officers Talking While He Drowns

Full-body footage of the tragedy has been released, showing Bickings submerging himself in the water after conversing with police, who warned him he couldn’t swim there. In the 11-minute video, Bickings appeals to three police officers for help shortly after he jumps in.

“I’m drowning!”

Then an officer asked him to swim to a tower, but Bickings said he couldn’t. One of the officers said, “Okay, I won’t chase you,” according to the police transcript of the incident. At that point, Bickings’ companion begged the police to help him because she knew he couldn’t swim.

“He is all I have. He’s about to die. I can’t lose him.”

Police eventually called a water rescue team and asked for help from the fire department, according to the transcript. Unfortunately, by that time, the water had silenced Bickings’ cry for help.

The city said three police officers in Tempe were placed on administrative leave without discipline pending the investigation. They describe temporary leave as “common practice” during serious incidents.


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