Three Arizona police officers have been placed on leave after watching a homeless man drown.
Around 5am on May 28, Tempe AZ officers responded to a domestic violence call between Sean Bickings, 34, and his wife. Upon arrival to the waterfront near Tempe Town Lake, all three officers approached Bickings wife.
Bickings wife explained there was an escalated disagreement, but Bickings did not hurt her physically.
Bickings sat on a bench when two officers approached him. They were making small talk while doing a background check on the couple.
Suddenly, Bickings began to climb over a fence separating the waterfront and a lake. Officers told Bickings this was not permitted, but Bickings insisted on going for a swim in attempts to flee.
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Shortly after Bickings began swimming, he began to panic and yelled that he was going to drown. Officers attempted to direct him to safety, but Bickings could not make it back to safety. Bickings cried out for help, but officers refused to jump in to assist.
Bickings swam no more than 40 yards before he went under water and did not come up.
Tempe Medical Rescue pulled Bickings body out of the lake a little before 11:30am.
Results showed Bickings had three outstanding warrants.
Three officers were placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave as Scottsdale Police Department and Arizona Department of Public Safety investigate the responding officers conduct.
At 11:25 a.m. on Monday, the Dallas Police Department responded to a call of an injured child.
Officers arrived to the home located in the 2800 block of Silkwood Street with Dallas Fire and Rescue en route. Inside the residence first responders located a 5-year-old boy dead. The little boy’s body showed significant signs of trauma.
Witnesses were taken to the Child Advocacy Center for questioning as part of the investigation.
Dallas Police Department’s Child Abuse Unit will be leading the case.
