CHATHAM, Mass — A teen is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly attempting to drown another juvenile in Chatham this past July, Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois said Thursday.
On July 19, the 14-year-old suspect and another boy allegedly cornered a Black male juvenile at Goose Pond in Chatman, Galibois says. The suspect, whom the DA says is known to the court, allegedly picked up a stone, threatened the victim with it and called him a racial slur while forcing him into the water.
The victim informed the other boys that he could not swim and donned a life jacket. Once in the water, the suspect allegedly pulled on the life-jacket and forced the victim underwater four to five times as he struggled to breathe, the DA says.
The other juvenile involved laughed at the struggling victim and called him “George Floyd”, Galibois details.
The defendant eventually swam underneath the victim and tried to grab his feet to pull him underwater, the DA says.
The incident was broken up when a bystander on the shore heard the victim’s yells, entered the water to help and carried the black child back to the shore.
The suspected teen was arrested after an investigation by the Chatham Police Department and arraigned on an attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon charge.
“Under MA GL Ch. 119, §60A the records of a youthful offender proceeding conducted pursuant to an indictment shall be open to public inspection in the same manner and to the same extent as adult criminal court records. All proceedings are open to the public,” the DA’s office said in a statement.
The suspect was indicted by a Grand Jury and was held without bail in Barnstable District Court on Thursday after Judge Silvia Gomes found him dangerous.
The defendant is scheduled to be back in court on September 13 for a pretrial conference.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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