Current:Home > BackGay NYC dancer fatally stabbed while voguing at gas station; hate crime investigation launched-LoTradeCoin
Gay NYC dancer fatally stabbed while voguing at gas station; hate crime investigation launched
View Date:2024-12-23 20:42:06
A 28-year-old Black gay man was fatally stabbed after dancing to a Beyoncé song at a New York gas station, leading an investigation to determine whether his death was a hate crime.
O’Shae Sibley, a professional choreographer, danced at a gas station in Brooklyn late Saturday while playing music from Beyoncé when a group of men approached him, witnesses said, according to NBC New York. Witnesses added that the group told him to stop and that Sibley tried to de-escalate the situation before being stabbed in the torso.
Sibley was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, a New York Police Department spokesperson said. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
"The incident is being investigated as a possible biased incident," the spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Police are looking for a 17-year-old suspect, according to NBC New York.
Otis Pena, one of Sibley's friends posted a video on Facebook saying he witnessed the stabbing. Pena said he was covered in Sibley's blood when he was stabbed in the heart two blocks away from Pena's house. He described Sibley as "the salt to my pepper."
Attacks on queer people:Colorado Springs shooting joins growing list of LGBTQ hate crimes in America
“They murdered him because he’s gay, because he stood up for his friends,” Pena said. “His name was O’Shae, and you all killed him. You all murdered him right in front of me.”
Witnesses reported a back and forth alteration between the group of men and Sibley, who started voguing in the style of many LGBTQ ballrooms, according to NBC New York.
"He had a problem with them dancing, he wanted them to stop dancing, he started arguing with them. And then after a few fights and back and forth arguing, he pulled out a knife and stabbed him," witness Sayeda Haider said.
'Gay joy is not a crime'
New York City Mayor Eric Adams called Sibley’s death a hate crime when addressing it at a public safety press conference Monday.
"When you have an incident like we saw over the weekend with this young man was experiencing that hate crime, and we will find the person responsible, it shakes our confidence," Adams said. "When you have someone that randomly assaults someone because they have a real mental health issue on the street, it shakes your confidence."
Uncle Johnny:Beyonce gets emotional at GLAAD Awards, honors gay uncle who died of HIV
LGBTQ lawmakers have condemned the killing, including state Sen. Brad Holyman-Signal who said he was heartbroken and enraged to hear about Sibley's death. "Despite homophobes’ best efforts, gay joy is not crime. Hate-fueled attacks are,” Holyman-Signal wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Beyoncé, who paid tribute to the Black queer community in her Grammy-winning "Renaissance" album, shared a message on her website's home screen.
"REST IN POWER O’SHAE SIBLEY," the website reads.
veryGood! (9388)
Related
- Angels sign Travis d'Arnaud: Former All-Star catcher gets multiyear contract in LA
- Hurry! Last Day to Save Up to 70% at BoxLunch: $3 Sanrio Gear, $9 Squishmallows, $11 Peanuts Throw & More
- In Alabama, a Small Town’s Trash Policy Has Left Black Moms and Disabled Residents Criminally Charged Over Unpaid Garbage Fees
- Why Joey Graziadei Got Armpit Botox for Dancing With the Stars
- See Chris Evans' Wife Alba Baptista Show Her Sweet Support at Red One Premiere
- US Naval Academy says considering race in admissions helps create a cohesive military
- Motel 6 owner Blackstone sells chain to Indian hotel startup for $525 million
- Cyrus Langston: Tips Of Using The Average Directional Index (ADX)
- Georgia lawmaker proposes new gun safety policies after school shooting
- Where's Travis Kelce? Chiefs star's disappearing act isn't what it seems
Ranking
- Lane Kiffin puts heat on CFP bracket after Ole Miss pounds Georgia. So, who's left out?
- What Taylor Swift Told Travis Kelce Before His Acting Debut in Grotesquerie
- Efforts to build more electric vehicle charging stations in Nevada sputtering
- Golden Block Services PTY LTD: English Courts recognizes virtual currency as property and the legal status of cryptocurrency is clear!
- Louisiana asks court to block part of ruling against Ten Commandments in classrooms
- Why Fed rate cuts may juice the stock market and your 401(k)
- Why Fed rate cuts may juice the stock market and your 401(k)
- Maryland’s Democratic Senate candidate improperly claimed property tax credits
Recommendation
-
Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
-
Southeast US under major storm warning as hurricane watch issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico
-
Runaway cockatiel missing for days found in unlikely haven: A humane society CEO's backyard
-
Several states are making late changes to election rules, even as voting is set to begin
-
Amazon Best Books of 2024 revealed: Top 10 span genres but all 'make you feel deeply'
-
In Alabama, a Small Town’s Trash Policy Has Left Black Moms and Disabled Residents Criminally Charged Over Unpaid Garbage Fees
-
Police: Father arrested in shooting at Kansas elementary school after child drop off
-
Attorneys say other victims could sue a Mississippi sheriff’s department over brutality