A 14-year-old was charged with attempted murder in what investigators say was a racially motivated attempt to drown a Black teen who couldn’t swim, allegedly invoking the name of George Floyd.
A 14-year-old white boy has been indicted after allegedly trying to drown a Black juvenile in what authorities say was a murder attempt motivated by race.
The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office says the charges were brought against the teen, whose name was not released but who is "known to the court," in an attack that happened July 19 in Chatham, Massachusetts.
Prosecutors say the indicted teen, another white male juvenile and the victim, a Black male juvenile, met at Goose Pond on the day of the incident.
The suspect threatened the victim with a stone, called him the N-word, prosecutors said.
According to authorities, the victim put on a life jacket and told the two other people he could not swim. All three got in the water together.
"Once in the water the juvenile defendant proceeded to pull on the victim's life jacket and submerged him underwater 4 to 5 times, causing the victim breathing distress," the DA's office wrote in a press release. "The third juvenile laughed at the victim during the attempted drowning and referred to the victim as 'George Floyd.'"
Prosecutors say the defendant then swam under the victim, trying to grab his feet to pull him back underwater.
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When the victim yelled to someone on the beach for help, a bystander went into the water and helped him to the shore.
Following an investigation by the Chatham Police Department, the teen was indicted on charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors say he was found to be dangerous at a hearing Thursday in Barnstable Juvenile Court.
The defendant is being held without bail and is due back in court for a pretrial conference on Sept. 13, 2023.
