O’Shae Sibley tributes pour in as search for teen suspect continues in Brooklyn gas station stabbing
Beyonce paid tribute to the dancer writing ‘Rest in power O’Shea Sibley’ on her website
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A teenager is being sought after 28-year-old professional dancer O’Shae Sibley was stabbed to death while vogueing to Beyonce at a gas station in Brooklyn.
Mr Sibley, who was working as a dancer in New York and Philadelphia, was voguing at the gas station on Saturday night when he was reportedly approached by a group of men who told him to stop.
Witnesses have revealed that the group said they didn’t like that Mr Sibley and his friends were dancing and they made homophobic comments.
Police said later that a 17-year-old boy in a black shirt and red shorts brought out a knife and stabbed Mr Sibley in the chest. He died from his injuries.
Mr Sibley’s friend Otis Pena spoke about his last moments in a video shared on Facebook.
“They killed him right in front of me,” he said. “I see him wobbling and I had to run to him and hold his wound as blood is dripping on my hands, as blood is on my clothes.”
A hate crimes investigation has now been launched.
Meanwhile, Beyonce paid tribute to the dancer by writing “Rest in power O’Shea Sibley” on her website.
Sibley pronounced dead shortly after being taken to hospital
Sibley’s friends tried to apply pressure to the wound, and police arrived at 11.15pm to find Sibley bleeding heavily on a sidewalk.
He was taken to Maimonides Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
The NYPD have reportedly identified a 17-year-old suspect who fled the scene, but are yet to make any arrests.
The department’s hate crimes unit is investigating Sibley’s violent death as a possible anti-LGBT+ hate crime.
The killing has attracted national attention due to its alleged homophobic nature, as attacks on the LGBT+ community are increasing.
Beyoncé, who was performing nearby at New York’s MetLife stadium on the night Sibley was killed, paid tribute to the dancer, choreographer and model, who family say was cut down “in his prime”.
What happened?
Otis Pena, who was with Sibley when he was killed, said in an emotional Facebook video posted on the night of the stabbing that a group of friends were celebrating his birthday when they had stopped a few blocks from his home to fill up their car.
He said he and Sibley were “just pumping gas and listening to [Beyoncé’s album] Renaissance and having a good time”.
Mr Pena said that as the confrontation ensued, he saw Sibley wobbling on his feet after being stabbed, and rushed over to try to administer care.
“I’m trying to put pressure on the wound, and there’s blood squirting everywhere… I’m covered in his blood,” Mr Pena said through tears. “They killed my brother right in front of me.”
“O’Shae was just trying to tell people ‘we may be gay’ and they stabbed him right in the heart,” he continued, breaking down.
“They murdered him because he was gay, because he stood up for his friends. All because he wanted people to know that we are gay.”