On a warm summer day at Goose Pond in Chatham, Massachusetts, what began as a seemingly innocent meeting between teenagers turned into an act of violence that left a community grappling with the racial dynamics it revealed. John P. Sheeran, a 15-year-old white boy, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon after trying to drown a Black boy he had befriended. The Black teenager, who believed he was meeting friends, found himself the target of racial slurs, physical attacks, and ultimately, a near-deadly assault.
The events of July 19, 2023, unfolded with chilling cruelty. According to police and witness statements, Sheeran and another white boy harassed the victim, pelting him with rocks and taunting him with racial slurs. Despite knowing the boy could not swim, Sheeran forced him underwater multiple times, as the second boy mocked him, calling him “George Floyd.” Witnesses at the scene, including minors, described intervening as Sheeran smirked and ignored the victim’s cries for help. The victim later recounted how he struggled to breathe and shouted for Sheeran to release him.
Sheeran’s actions sparked outrage, especially as details emerged of the racially charged language and violence. Witnesses told police they saw the boy being held under the water while being taunted. A fellow minor swam to stop the attack, later reporting that Sheeran’s demeanor showed no remorse. The victim, shaken and frightened, waited two days to report the incident to authorities, who launched an investigation that resulted in Sheeran’s indictment on charges of attempted murder and assault.
In court, Sheeran’s attorney downplayed the attack, framing it as horseplay gone too far. However, prosecutors painted a starkly different picture, pointing to the deliberate nature of the assault and a separate incident in which Sheeran allegedly punched an Asian boy after being called fat. While Sheeran has been released to his father’s custody on bond, his sentencing on February 3 will determine whether he is treated as an adult or juvenile under Massachusetts law.
The case has drawn comparisons to broader patterns of systemic racism and racially motivated violence in America, with the victim’s family and community leaders calling for accountability. As the justice system prepares to weigh the appropriate sentence, the chilling betrayal of trust and the racial hatred evident in the attack remain a stark reminder of the challenges of confronting racism among youth and the lifelong scars it can leave.
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