Man who drowned in front of police was "pillar of homeless community"

Newsweek

A man who drowned in Arizona’s Tempe Town Lake last month as police officers stood by and watched was well known for helping individuals in the local homeless community, according to his friends.

Sean Bickings, 34, was heard begging for help as he struggled to swim in the lake on May 28, according to an 11-minute edited body camera video obtained by CBS affiliate outlet AZ Family, and newly released police transcripts. Bickings jumped into the water following a confrontation with police and quickly asked for assistance, noting that he was unable to reach safety and was beginning to drown.

Police, however, responded to Bickings’ distress by denying that he was drowning, while one officer noted: “I am not jumping in after you.” Shortly after, Bickings did not resurface from the water, and a city fire department rescue team recovered his body and pronounced him dead.

Initial media reports said that Bickings was homeless at the time of his death and authorities described him as an “unsheltered” community member. However, his friends told local news outlets that Bickings was a pillar within the homeless community and that he had recently met with Tempe’s mayor to discuss ways to help those in need…