#charged with attempted murder 'after he tried to drown black teen in pond while calling victim George Floyd

[ausetkmt]

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. 

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. 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. 

In July, Sheeran allegedly attempted to drown a black teen in Goose Pond (pictured) in Chatham, Massachusetts

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.'

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.

In court on Monday, baby-faced Sheeran was led into the room with his hands cuffed in front of him.

His mop of brown hair turned downward as he took a seat before the judge. He wore a blue suit and striped tie.

Over objections from prosecutors, Sheeran was released to home confinement in Chatham. His release includes wearing a GPS monitoring device that will confine him to his father's home. He is also required to continue reporting to juvenile probation.

Prosecutors argued Sheeran should remain in jail, calling him a danger to the community.

The victim said Sheeran began calling him George Floyd as he screamed that he couldn't breathe. Floyd infamously told officers that he couldn't breathe before he died during an altercation with Minneapolis cops in 2020

Sheeran was released to his father's custody. Earlier this summer, he had moved to Florida with his mother as his parents went through a divorce

The suspect allegedly began the criminal interaction by throwing rocks at the victim and calling him racial slurs

'Mr. Sheeran can’t be out in the community because whether it’s three o’clock in the afternoon at a pond with his friends where he should be able to behave or 8:15 at night when he runs into another child, he punches that kid,' said Assistant District Attorney Eileen Moriarty in court.

'He’s a violent child, we’ve heard no mitigating factors, this violence is unfortunately targeted towards children of other races, children that don’t look like him,' she added.

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.