A 15-year-old white teenager has pleaded guilty to attempting to drown a Black boy in the Goose Pond in Chatham, Massachusetts, in July 2023.
John P. Sheeran, who was 14 during last year's attack, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. It was noted that the judge in the case charged him as a "youthful offender," which means they can sentence the 15-year-old as an adult, according to Cape Cod Times.
The teen is accused of pushing a 15-year-old black boy underwater on July 19, throwing stones at him, and calling him racial slurs. Authorities previously said the attack was "racially motivated."
Details of the Crime
Sheeran and an accomplice---a White teen whose identity was not publicly released---allegedly met up with the Black victim at Goose Pond on July 19. The victim put on a life jacket before entering the water. Once there, the suspects allegedly grabbed the Black child's life jacket and repeatedly dunked him underwater. He is also accused of swimming underneath the victim and grabbing his feet in an attempt to pull him further into the water.
Throughout the attack, Sheeran allegedly called the victim the n-word.
Prosecutors said Sheeran's accomplice laughed at the victim while he was drowning. The accomplice also called him "George Floyd" when he could not breathe.
George Floyd was a 46-year-old Black man who died after a White police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for over nine minutes. During the incident, Floyd had repeatedly told the officer that he could not breathe. His death sparked widespread protests as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Investigators said the attack continued until a witness, also a minor, swam into the pond to help the victim. The witness noted that Sheeran and his accomplice "were smirking" when he reached them.
What Charges Will the Accomplice Face?
It is unclear if Sheeran's accomplice will face any legal consequences for his role in the drowning incident.
Sheeran's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 5. It was noted by CBS News that Sheeran punched an Asian boy hours after the drowning incident after that person called him fat.
