TEMPE, AZ — The family of a man who drowned in Tempe Town Lake last year is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Tempe.
Court documents show a civil suit was filed in Maricopa County Court on Friday.
The lawsuit claims the officers were not prepared in their response to Sean Bickings willingly getting into the lake.
It also claims the city does not have proper security and safety measures in place at the lake to prevent or respond to drownings, citing several past deaths at the lake.
The lawsuit doesn't list a specific amount of money the family is asking for, but states that Bickings' mother be "fully and fairly compensated [...] for the injuries and damages."
The lawsuit lists the City of Tempe, Tempe Fire Chief Greg Ruiz, former Tempe Police Chief Jeffrey Glover, Tempe Police Officer Bryan Berman, Officer Kelly Bennett, and Jeffrey Gebbie as defendants.
Benjamin Taylor, the attorney representing the family, released the following statement:
“A lawsuit has been filed against the City of Tempe today. We are seeking justice for Sean Bickings who lost his life by drowning in Tempe Town Lake while Tempe police officers watched from the shore. The City of Tempe and Tempe law enforcement promised new safety measurements following Sean’s tragic death and a year later we have yet to see these actions implemented. We hope this lawsuit will encourage the City of Tempe to take the necessary steps to ensure no one else carelessly loses their life by drowning in Tempe Town Lake.”
The city of Tempe declined ABC15's request for comment, citing active litigation.
On May 28, 2022, 34-year-old Bickings drowned in Tempe Town Lake. Body camera footage released later showed three officers watching him drown less than 50 yards away.
The footage also showed Bickings and his partner pleading with police to help prevent the drowning.
At the time, Tempe police did not have a policy requiring officers to go into the water to save someone.
Three months later, the city announced a plan they say will help save lives.
The plan included installing water rescue rings that would be connected to 100-foot ropes around the lake. Those are scheduled to be installed in the next couple of weeks.
Also last summer, the Tempe Police Department drafted a water rescue incident policy and started using "throw bags."
Tempe is also expected to vote in June on $1.8 million in funding for a Park Ranger program.
If approved, the rangers would be responsible for proactive patrols in city parks, including Tempe Town Lake.
