Mass. Teen Pleads Guilty to Racist Attempted Drowning During Which Victim Was Allegedly Called ‘George Floyd’

A Massachusetts teen has pleaded guilty after he allegedly attempted to drown a Black juvenile in a Cape Cod pond in 2023.

John Sheeran, 15, who is White, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, the Barnstable Juvenile Court clerk’s office confirms to PEOPLE.

He was charged by prosecutors as a “youthful offender,” which means he could be sentenced as an adult by a judge, per the Cape Cod Times.

Sheeran entered his guilty plea on Dec. 13 and is awaiting sentencing on Feb. 5, per the clerk’s office.

According to prosecutors, Sheeran, along with another White juvenile, met up with the victim at Goose Pond in Chatham on July 19, 2023.

Prosecutors said the victim put on his life jacket and told the other two teens that he couldn’t swim before entering the pond.

The three teens entered the water together and Sheeran “proceeded to pull on the victim’s life jacket and submerged him underwater four to five times, causing the victim breathing distress,” according to a Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office press release. “The third juvenile laughed at the victim during the attempted drowning and referred to the victim as ‘George Floyd.’”

Prosecutors said the near-fatal drowning continued as Sheeran swam underneath the victim and attempted to grab his feet.

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The victim called for help and a bystander intervened, helping the victim to shore. In a statement to police, the bystander said he witnessed Sheeran pushing the boy’s head underwater and heard the victim tell Sheeran “to please not splash or push him because of his inability to swim,” according to NBC10.

“When I finally get to them they were smirking,” the bystander said in the statement.

The victim reported the incident two days later, according to an investigator’s affidavit, NBC10 reported.

Prosecutors said the incident was “racially motivated,” per the press release.

At a Sept. 2023 hearing, Sheeran’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, said his client “ had absolutely no intent to murder his friend,” per WCVB. “It was a stupid act that was carried way too far.”

Reddington could not be reached for comment.

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