The family of a man who drowned in Tempe Town Lake in May has filed a Notice of Claim against the city of Tempe to the tune of $3 million.
Sean Bickings, an unsheltered Tempe resident, died on May 28 while speaking to officers with the Tempe Police Department. Bickings was approached by officers at 5 a.m. about a domestic dispute with his wife. When the officers learned Bickings had several warrants out for his arrest, he climbed over the Elsmore Pedestrian Bridge and began swimming in the lake. A search for Bickings did not begin until 9:30 a.m. and his body was recovered at 11:30 a.m.
In edited body camera videos released by the city, Bickings calls the officers for help and says that he is drowning. An officer responded, “Okay, I’m not jumping in after you.” Another officer can be heard saying he’s going to find a boat to help, but help did not come in time.
