Teen arrested for possible hate crime stabbing of voguer at petrol station
A 17-year-old has been arrested in association with the fatal stabbing of O'Shae Sibley, a dancer who was stabbed last week in an altercation that's being investigated as a hate crime in the neighbourhood of Midwood, Brooklyn.
“The suspect in the fatal stabbing of O’Shae Sibley in my district last Saturday night just turned himself in to the @NYPD61Pct & is now in their custody. Wishing the family peace during this difficult time & hoping for swift justice & serious consequences for the perpetrator,” tweeted Councilwoman Inna Vernikov Friday afternoon.
O'Shae Sibley, 28, who has been described as a "cherished and devoted" dancer, was attacked by a group of men while performing a routine in the street at the gas station with a group of friends on Saturday night, according to a video.
O’shae Sibley, who was allegedly stabbed by a 17-year-old in a possible hate crime, was described by friends and family members as a beautiful soul and beloved community member (Philadanco!/Facebook)The alleged perpetrator has been described as a teenager with dark hair, wearing a black shirt and red shorts. Reports said that the teen had a previous record that is not public due to his age. The teenager was allegedly caught on camera telling Sibley and his friends that their 'dancing' offended his Muslim faith.
News of the arrest comes hours before a planned memorial/emergency action "Memorial Ball" is scheduled to take place at the site of his murder - the Bollo gas station on Coney Island avenue and Avenue P in Brooklyn at 6pm, est.
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According to reports, Sibley and his friends were allegedly approached by a group of young Muslim men, who began hurling slurs at them. The incident was captured on video.
An attempt toward de-escalation was made, with the groups trying to talk it out with the help of a bystander. It did not work, however, with the video showing Sibley being stabbed in the torso by a teenager, before the group fled.
Sibley shown on camera dancing at the gas station right before being approached by a group of men that said his behaviour offended their faith (CBS)The alleged attack is being treated as a possible hate crime. His friend, Otis Pena, who was there at the time, wrote in a Facebook post : “[They were] screaming we Muslim and we don’t like gays!!!!! As we are innocently pumping gas, and ya’ll decide to stab on one of us!!!”
Otis said that O'Shae, who was his best friend of 15 years, was killed in front of him. He added in a Facebook Live video that he, Sibley and some other friends were driving home after celebrating his birthday at the beach, when they decided to stop at the Mobil station located just two blocks from his house.
O'Shae's aunt says he was always smiling and loved people - and will remember him this way (Kemar Jewel /FACEBOOK)
The dancer and his friends were on their way back from a day at the beach and were dancing lightheartedly at a gas station before they were approached by a group of men hurling homophobic slurs (Kemar Jewel /FACEBOOK)He said: “I’m trying to put pressure on the wound, and there’s blood squirting everywhere,” describing the aftermath of the alleged attack. The surveillance footage shows the two groups of men arguing before a fight breaks out. O'Shae, suffering from stab wounds, retreats, and the assailants flee the scene.
A witness, Summy Ullah, told the Daily News the young men had been harassing Sibley's group because their behaviour offended them. “They were saying, ‘Oh, we’re Muslim, so don’t do this in front of me,’” said Ullah, 32.
This undated photo shows O'Shae Sibley, center, during a class at the Ailey Extension dance school in New York (AP)Ullah added, “Nothing else was going on. They were only dancing.” He said someone asked, "Why are you dancing in your underwear?”
Beyoncé posted a tribute to honour a dancer after he was tragically stabbed and killed after performing a dance routine to her song Renaissance at a gas station in Brooklyn. A hate crimes investigation is underway.
Surveillance video caught the murder of 28-year-old O'Shae Sibley, here the groups are shown arguing (CBS)Following the heartbreaking loss, Beyoncé honoured Sibley with a loving tribute posted on her website for the talented young dancer with the caption: "REST IN POWER O'SHAE SIBLEY."
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Sibley performed with the dance company Philadanco in his native Philadelphia and in New York, where he moved to pursue his dreams of dancing. He celebrated his LGBTQ identity through works such as “ Soft: A Love Letter to Black Queer Men,” choreographed by Kemar Jewel.
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