A 17-year-old suspected of stabbing and killing O'Shae Sibley, 28, a gay Black man who was dancing at a Brooklyn gas station, has pleaded not guilty to several charges including murder as a hate crime.
In an arraignment on Friday at the State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, Dmitriy Popov, 17, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges related to Sibley's death, including second-degree murder as a hate crime, manslaughter in the first-degree as a hate crime, and related charges, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez's office. Popov will be tried as an adult.
If convicted, Popov faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison for a murder charge but could face even more time if convicted of a hate crime.
In the late hours of July 29, professional dancer and choreographer O'Shae Sibley stopped at a gas station in the Midwood area of Brooklyn on the way home from the beach with four of his friends. While in the parking lot, Sibley got out of the vehicle and started dancing and vogueing — which is a popular form of dance that comes from the queer ballroom community — to Beyoncé’s Renaissance album. Popov and two others came out of the gas station and allegedly started shouting homophobic and anti-Black slurs at Sibley's group, according to the DA's office. At one point, the defendant's groups yelled, “Get that gay s–t out of here.”
In response to the hateful words, Sibley tried to diffuse the situation, the DA's office said, saying something along the lines of, “You don’t know us, we’re just having a good time and enjoying our lives. It’s all respect, we’re allowed to be here just like you.” Popov's friends left the scene, but the 17-year-old stayed and continued to record Sibley's group on his phone and antagonize them. When Sibley confronted Popov, he allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed him once in the chest, puncturing his heart.
Sibley was later pronounced dead at Maimonides Hospital.
“O’Shae came to New York to follow his dream and brightened our city with his light. We honor his life, celebrate his courage, and commit to hold accountable the individual allegedly responsible for this horrific murder,” Gonzalez said in a statement following the arraignment. “O’Shae and his friends were targeted for being themselves, dancing joyfully and harming no one. There is no tolerance for hate in Brooklyn, where we value our diversity, inclusion and the freedom to be who we are.”
The New York Times reported that Popov's attorney Mark Pollard may seek a self-defense argument, using gas station surveillance footage and video on Popov's phone as evidence of the teenager attempting to back away from the altercation.
Tributes have since poured in for Sibley, including from Beyoncé herself, who honored Sibley on her website. The artist's most recent album, Renaissance, has been attributed to and a celebration of Black LGBTQ+ culture. In a sad twist of fate, Beyoncé was performing at nearby MetLife Stadium the same night Sibley was killed.
Sibley was part of New York City's modern ballroom dancing scene, according to CBS News. The underground vogueing scene, which was primarily dominated by queer people of color and drag performers, became more mainstream in recent years with shows like FX's Pose. The dancer was preparing to audition for The Lion King on Broadway, according to his friends.
Hundreds of Sibley's friends, supporters, and members of the LGBTQ+ community gathered at the Midwood gas station last Friday to mourn and celebrate the dancer in the way they know how: by vogueing.
Sibley's death comes at a time when hatred and violence toward members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to increase across the country. Advocacy group Human Rights Campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people this year.
Popov is being held at a juvenile detention center without bail and is expected to return to court on October 10.
