O’Shae Sibley, a 28-year-old dancer, was stabbed to death at a Brooklyn gas station Saturday evening after an altercation between his friends and a group of men who objected to the way Sibley was dancing. The NYPD is reportedly investigating the incident as a hate crime and has identified a suspect who has yet to be found. Here’s what we know so far.
What happened
The New York Daily News reports that Sibley, who was gay, stopped at a Mobil gas station in Midwood on Saturday evening around 11 p.m. along with some friends. While someone in the group was filling up the car, Sibley reportedly played Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance, and danced to the music. Multiple reports say Sibley was vogueing, a style of dance popularized by the LGBTQ ballroom scene.
A group of men at the station then reportedly confronted Sibley and his friends, telling them to stop dancing and allegedly hurling homophobic slurs at them.
Surveillance video shows the two groups in a heated argument. According to witnesses, someone intervened and attempted to break up the altercation. Sibley was seen face-to-face with one of the individuals in the group, after which they began scuffling. The suspect then stabbed Sibley in the chest, per ABC 7. The suspect, who is believed to be a teenager, fled the scene and is still on the loose. Sibley was taken to Maimonides Medical Center but was pronounced dead. The NYPD is officially investigating the stabbing as a hate crime.
Who was O’Shae Sibley?
Sibley was a Philadelphia native who moved to New York City in 2019 to pursue a career in dance. Prior to his move, he was a member of Philadanco, a renowned modern-dance company in the city.
The New York Post reports that he took part in the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s extension program and a 2022 visual project commissioned by the Lincoln Center titled “An Eclectic Dance to the Music of Time.”
Choreographer Kemar Jewel remembered Sibley on Facebook, describing him as “one of the closest things to family that I ever had.” Jewel first met Sibley when he was 16 years old, and Sibley went on to star in six of Jewel’s music videos.
“He was a bright eyed and goofy young man who had talent beyond anything I’d seen before. He could sing, he could do hip hop, jazz, ballet, tap, anddddddd he was an incredible voguer! That’s how we became close,” he wrote.
In an interview with Gothamist, O’Shae’s aunt Tondra Sibley called his murder “senseless” and said her nephew had been planning a trip with his father this week to Florida.
“He was a gentle spirit,” she said. “Everyone that knew him knew that he was always smiling … he loved people, he loved dancing, he loved teaching dance.”
Beckenbaur Hamilton, Sibley’s neighbor, told the Times that he personally was attacked in his younger years because he was gay. Due to his own experiences, he said he warned Sibley about being so open about his sexuality in public.
“O’Shae wasn’t afraid of being who he was,” Hamilton said. “He would defend his friends.”
He continued, “But I’d see how people looked at them. There was a worry in the back of my mind.”
The suspect
NBC New York reports that the NYPD has identified a 17-year-old male as a suspect in the stabbing. His name has not been released, but sources tell the New York Post that the teenager was seen on surveillance video fighting with Sibley before fleeing.
Reaction
Sibley’s death was condemned by many in the New York political world.
In a tweet, Mayor Eric Adams said Sibley’s life and “beautiful spirit” were cut short by homophobia.
“We’ll bring justice for O’Shae’s family and loved ones. His dancing joy will live on,” he said.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal tweeted that he was “heartbroken and enraged” to learn about Sibley’s murder. “Despite homophobes’ best efforts, gay joy is not crime. Hate-fueled attacks are,” he said.
