A person drowned to loss of life in an Arizona lake final month as law enforcement officials ignored his cries for assist, a transcript of physique digicam footage revealed.
‘I’m going to drown. I’m going to drown,’ mentioned Sean Bickings, 34, based on a transcript of video taken on Might 28, when Bickings was struggling to remain afloat in a reservoir in Tempe, Arizona.
An officer, recognized as Officer 1 within the transcript, then replied: ‘Okay, I’m not leaping in after you.’
Officers had been known as to the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge after a Downtown Tempe Authority ambassador reported a disturbance between Bickings and his companion.
Bickings and his associate cooperated with officers, who arrived simply after 5am. They denied that any bodily argument had occurred, based on Information 12.
‘At that time, the officers don’t actually have a motive to be there,’ mentioned Andy Anderson, a former assistant chief with Phoenix Police. Not one of the officers on the scene had a background in psychological well being, based on Anderson.
Officers then ran the couple’s names by means of a database used to verify whether or not individuals have excellent arrest warrants. As they have been checking, Bickings climbed over a 4-foot metallic fence and entered the water.
Bickings will be seen on the video climbing over a bar and strolling all the way down to the lake, saying, ‘I’m going for a swim.’ An officer tells Bickings that he can’t swim within the lake, however didn't detain him.
‘In actuality, regulation enforcement didn't have the authority to detain him,’ Anderson mentioned.
He reportedly swam out about 30-40 yards earlier than he started to wrestle.
Police didn't launch the whole video as a result of they mentioned the drowning was too delicate, and as an alternative offered transcript of the footage.
Within the transcript, Bickings tells officers he's drowning and so they instruct him to swim over to the pylon and seize maintain of it to maintain himself afloat.
‘I’m drowning,’ Bickings mentioned, based on the transcript.
‘Come again over to the pylon,’ one officer responded.
“I can’t. I can’t,’ Bickings mentioned.
‘Okay, I’m not leaping in after you,’ Officer 1 replied.
At the least one police officer tried to get a ship. Metropolis officers didn't say whether or not their water rescue crew was working that morning.
Tempe Police and Fireplace started to seek for the person and officers mentioned that his physique was pulled from the lake shortly after 11am.
The three officers who witnessed the drowning have been positioned on paid administrative depart pending the investigation.
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