A MAN who was drowning begged officers to save him as chilling footage appears to show that cops refused to help.
Sean Bickings, 34, was found dead in Tempe Town Lake, Arizona on May 28.
He climbed over a fence and entered the water while officers were conducting a background check, according to Tempe city officials.
Officers had been called to the scene just after 5am that morning amid reports of a disturbance involving a couple, NBC News reported.
Both denied that an argument had taken place and they weren’t detained, but officers processed their names through a database to see if they had any outstanding arrest warrants.
Bickings then climbed over a metal fence and was told that swimming wasn’t allowed in the lake.
read more us stories
Texas victim’s last words revealed & it offers crucial clue to gunman’s movements
Major update on yoga teacher who went on the run after love rival’s murder
Cops revealed that he then swam around 30-40 yards before pleading he was in distress.
He told officers that he was going to drown, but one replied: "No you're not."
An officer also said that they weren't going to jump into the lake to help Bickings, according to a police transcript
Bickings continued to plead for help as officers urged him to swim toward the pylon.
Most read in The Sun
A REAL HAIR TO HARRY! 
New photo of Lilibet on her 1st birthday released by Harry and Meghan
Love Island viewers all think the same as Gemma Owen reveals her age
Laura Whitmore slammed by ex Love Islander saying presenter should be AXED
Holiday warning as tourists told NOT to swim at 14 popular UK beaches
A witness, who was identified as his wife Susan in a police transcript, said: “Oh my god is he okay. Stop why are you doing this?”
Cops urged her to talk to Bickings so he could come back to safety.
Susan replied: “I tried, I tried to that’s why I was going over there. I just saw him in the water crying for help cause I love you him.”
She then screamed: “Babe, Babe. He’s drowning, he’s drowning.
“I’m just distraught because he’s drowning right in front of you and you won’t help.”
'I CAN'T LOSE HIM'
Susan said: “He’s everything I got. I can’t lose him, he’s going to die.”
Rescuers from the fire department team recovered his body and he was pronounced dead at around 11:30am local time.
Officials have confirmed that the three responding officers have been put on routine administrative paid leave.
The Tempe Officers Association said: “No one wanted this incident to end as it did.”
Representatives claimed that cops do not receive training in water rescues.
The union also said that officers don't have the equipment that’s required to help people that are drowning.
Read More On The Sun
Elon Musk tries to back out of Twitter deal – tech giant reveals it’s holding on
Kanye West still can’t sell $11M Wyoming ranch amid bitter divorce from Kim
Andrew Ching, the City Manager of Tempe, described Bickings’ death as a tragedy.
Officials have urged the Department of Public Safety and Scottsdale Police to examine the police response.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
Email us at [email protected] or call 212 416 4552. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS
Source: Read Full Article
