Teen suspect charged with hate crime murder of dancer at Brooklyn gas station
MIDWOOD, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A teen wanted in Saturday night's fatal stabbing of O'Shae Sibley at a gas station in Brooklyn has been charged by police.
The teen, who is not being identified because of his age was charged with murder, hate crime murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
The suspect reportedly turned himself in to the 61 Precinct in Sheepshead Bay on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday afternoon, Mayor Adams joined the NYPD to discuss the suspect's arrest and how the community is dealing with Sibley's death.
"So what are we doing as adults that creates this energy of hate? And that energy that's created it's not coming from a community, such as the Muslim community that is aware of the hate that they see every day. It's not coming from the LGBTQ+ community of the hate they experience. So it's coming from other entities that we need to fight against and the only way we can win is we are united in our fight and that's why we're standing here today on the announcement of this apprehension," Mayor Adams said.
Leaders in the LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities also spoke at Saturday's press conference.
"We wrestle with hate crimes, we wrestle with people within our community. constantly facing discrimination, not just because you're black, but because you represent LGBT and the fact that he was doing nothing more but voguing and dancing here," Lee Soulja Simmons, Executive Director of the NYC Center for Black Pride, said.
Sonia Ali, Executive Director of Muslim Community Center, stood united with Simmons in condemning the acts of the Muslim teen against Sibley.
"We unequivocally condemned the unjust murder of O'Shea such acts among such acts are amongst the greatest forms of injustice one can commit. We stand united against violence," Ali said.
Tributes have been pouring in for Sibley, an openly gay professional dancer whose death is now being investigated as a possible hate crime.
Spike Lee posted a tribute on Instagram for Sibley to "Rest in Power," which is the same message posted on Beyoncé's website after it was revealed Sibley and his friends were listening to her music and dancing while they were pumping gas over the weekend.
"Got out the car, dancing a bit, once again, they both Vogue and were probably Voguing and just probably presenting very feminine," said Sibley's friend of 13 years, Kemar Jewel.
Surveillance video shows Sibley was confronted by a group apparently yelling homophobic slurs.
After first de-escalating the situation, words were exchanged once again and officials say the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Sibley.
On Wednesday there was a growing tribute at Club Cumming in the East Village, which is a gay bar named for actor Alan Cuming.
The talented dancer is being remembered by his friends.
"O'Shae was the type of person you could never be sad around," Jewel said. "O'Shae is funny. He's goofy. He goes out of the way to make you smile, to go above and beyond just to make people happy."
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