The guy was being questioned by police when he fled, jumped a wall and a barricade (that was there because that part of the river is dangerous) and then jumped into the river. He swam out quite a distance, then apparently got into distress and started calling for help.
The officers had no rescue equipment and no water rescue training, so they radioed for the rescue squad. The guy went under almost immediately and all the rescue squad could do was recover the body.
Nothing requires an officer with no lifeguard/water training and no rescue equipment to enter dangerous water to rescue a man who deliberately jumped in to escape arrest. I'm a WSI/BSA/RC lifeguard, and I would not have jumped in after the man with no equipment, certainly not have executed a series of surface dives in a muddy river. "Reach-row-throw- only then go." And only if you're not likely to wind up with a double drowning.