Beyoncé paid tribute to O’Shae Sibley after he was reportedly killed for “voguing” to her music at a Mobil gas station on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn this past Saturday (July 29). “Rest in power, O’Shae Sibley,” read the message that was written in white letters on the “BREAK MY SOUL” singer’s official website.
As previously reported by REVOLT, Sibley, who was a professional dancer and choreographer, and his friends were filling up a car with gas and voguing to Beyoncé’s latest album, RENAISSANCE, when a group of men allegedly approached them, using gay slurs, and told them to stop dancing. The situation escalated following an exchange of words and the 28-year-old was stabbed in the chest. He was taken to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
According to ABC 7, witnesses are claiming a 17-year-old teenager, who works at a smoke shop right around the corner, to be the suspect. No arrests have been made as of yet. Following the incident, Sibley’s friend Otis Pena, who was at the location when everything went down, took to his Facebook page and detailed what happened. “They hated us ’cause we are gay! Screaming, ‘We Muslim and we don’t like gays!’ as we are innocently pumping gas and y’all decided to stab one of us!” Pena wrote. “We were VOGUING! Innocently voguing just two blocks from being dropped off at my house, pumping gas! Justice.”
Sibley was a member of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ailey Extension program. Yesterday (Aug. 1), the organization released a statement on Instagram following his tragic passing. “The Ailey organization mourns the tragic death of O’Shae Sibley, following an attack outside of a Brooklyn gas station on Saturday night,” the message began. “O’Shae was a cherished and devoted Ailey Extension student. He had incredible energy in the studio and was loved by instructors and fellow classmates. We are shocked and heartbroken that O’Shae’s life has been taken by senseless violence and extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”