Teenager Charged With Homicide As Hate Crime In Killing Of Brooklyn Dancer

Topline

A 17-year-old has been arrested and charged with homicide as a hate crime within the dying of O’Shae Sibley on Saturday, a 28-year-old skilled dancer who was fatally stabbed final weekend whereas dancing at a Brooklyn-area fuel station.

Folks collect at a memorial for O’Shae Sibley on August 04.

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Key Info

{The teenager}—who was unnamed—was charged with second-degree homicide as a hate crime and felony possession of a weapon, in accordance to Joseph Kenny, an assistant chief on the New York Police Division.

A gaggle of males—which included {the teenager}—approached Sibley and his buddies as they danced to Beyoncé’s Renaissance album, earlier than the lads started yelling homophobic and racist slurs at Sibley, who remained as his good friend group dispersed.

The suspect is then seen on video stabbing Sibley as soon as within the chest, “damaging his coronary heart,” in line with Kenny, who added a witness mentioned {the teenager} subsequently fled in a Toyota Highlander.

The suspect turned himself in on Friday by an association along with his lawyer.

{The teenager}—who lives in Brooklyn and attends a close-by highschool—was charged with a hate crime “based mostly on the statements from the group typically,” Kenny mentioned.

Essential Quote

New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams mentioned the incident was “clearly” a hate crime, including: “This can be a metropolis the place you might be free to precise your self, and that expression ought to by no means finish with any type of violence.”

Stunning Reality

Beyoncé supplied her assist for Sibley on her web site, which now reads in all-caps: “Relaxation in energy O’Shae Sibley.” Oscar Award-winning director Spike Lee additionally honored Sibley with an Instagram submit, indicating “Lethal homosexual hate crime right here in Brooklyn. God bless you brother.”

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Key Background

Sibley, knowledgeable dancer and choreographer, died on July 29 after confronting a gaggle of males who advised him and his buddies to cease dancing on the Midwood Mobil fuel station in Brooklyn, in accordance to Sibley’s buddies. Otis Pena, one in every of Sibley’s buddies, mentioned Sibley was murdered “as a result of he’s homosexual, as a result of he stood up for his buddies.” The NYPD opened an investigation into Sibley’s dying, noting its hate crimes unit was concerned. The incident sparked backlash from town’s LGBTQ+ neighborhood, together with an occasion the next evening on the fuel station the place attendees had been inspired to “vogue as an act of resistance.” Almost 80 individuals mourned Sibley’s dying on the Stonewall Inn—a Manhattan-based bar recognized for being the birthplace of the homosexual rights motion—on Thursday, in accordance to the New York Instances. Sibley’s dying comes amid an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ incidents within the U.S., in line with the Anti-Defamation League. The group reported 356 incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ “hate and extremism” within the U.S. between final June 2022 and April 2023, together with 40 incidents of vandalism and 11 incidents of assault.