A 17-year-old male has been charged with murder as a hate crime in the stabbing death of O’Shae Sibley, a 28-year-old professional dancer, in New York City.
The incident occurred on July 29 when Sibley was dancing to a Beyonce song at a gas station, and a group confronted him with anti-gay and anti-Black slurs.
The murder deeply affected the LGBT community, prompting tributes from Beyonce and film director Spike Lee.
According to New York Police Assistant Chief Joe Kenny, Sibley and his friends were dancing while refueling their car when they were approached by a group of males who demanded they stop dancing and made hateful remarks.
The suspect, a Brooklyn resident whose name was not disclosed, surrendered to the police on Friday. He has been charged with murder as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon.
As of now, the suspect is the only individual charged in connection with the case. Beyonce expressed her condolences by writing “Rest in Power O’Shae Sibley” on her website, and Spike Lee shared his thoughts on Instagram, calling it a “Deadly Hate Crime Here in Brooklyn.”
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