A baby-faced 14-year-old boy has been accused of trying to murder a black teenager by attempting to drown him in a Cape Cod pond.
Racism slur
John Sheeran appeared at a court just outside Boston on Monday over the July incident, which allegedly saw him hurl racist slurs at his unnamed victim – and even call the teen ‘George Floyd‘ during the drowning attempts.
He wore a navy suit, shirt and tie. Despite prosecutors’ calls for Sheeran to remain in custody, a judge released him with a tag and ordered him to remain at his father’s home.
The victim told law enforcement Sheeran started throwing rocks at him and calling him racial slurs after he showed up at Goose Pond on Cape Cod.
The threat
Sheeran then threatened to beat up the victim, it is alleged.
The victim couldn’t swim, so he wore a life jacket in the water.
Despite the vest, Sheeran attempted to pull him under the water multiple times to the point that victim was no longer able to breathe, it is alleged.
The victim told police that the accused ‘held on to my life jacket and pulled me underwater and back up about four-to-five times … while doing it water got into my mouth and nose and I could not breathe.’
Afterwards, the victim said Sheeran began calling him ‘George Floyd’ while kicking him and pulling him beneath the water.
The victim said he was screaming he couldn’t breathe, which was when the suspect and another teenager at the scene ‘started laughing and called me George Floyd.’
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He continued crying for help as the two teens continued to pull him under the water. Eventually, bystanders arrived to help and the victim was saved.
The other alleged attacker hasn’t been identified – and it is unclear if Sheeran knew his alleged victim prior to the attack.
Prosecutors allege just several hours later, Sheeran punched an Asian child in the face. That child has not been identified.
Sheeran was charged with attempted murder and a civil rights violation in connection to the case.
At the time of the incident, Sheeran had just moved to Florida with his mother, as his parents went through a divorce, according to prosecutors.
The teen will now be required to stay in Chatham with his father as the court case continues.
His parents are going through a divorce, with Sheeran’s mom living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
